Scraper

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This bone scraper was found at the site of the Neolithic village of Skara Brae in Orkney. It was probably used either as a skinning knife or as a smoothing tool in leather working, sometime between 3100 and 2450 BC.

The scraper is a thin polished slice of bone with a sharp working edge.

In the almost tree-less Northern Isles, wooden objects are less common than other materials. The inhabitants of Skara Brae used bone and antler for a range of objects including shovels, awls, pins, chisels, knives and even beads.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-040-364-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.HA 478 C
• Date: Between 3100 and 2450 BC
  
• Material: Bone, slice of long bone especially the matpedial, cattle; quadrangular; upper face ground down to form one or more edges; both faces polished, the outer convex and the inner concave, with traces of marrow cavity
  Implement / knife, skinning / smoothing tool, leather working
  
• Dimensions: 114.30 mm L
  
• What: Implement / knife, skinning / smoothing tool, leather working
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Orkney, Skaill, Skara Brae
  
• Event:
• Description: Thin polished slice of bone with a working edge, probably used either as a skinning knife or smoothing tool in leather working, from Skara Brae
  
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