Piece of worked bone

This worked bone object was found at the site of the Neolithic village of Skara Brae in Orkney. It represents an advanced stage in the process of carving bone into cubes. The object dates from between 3100 and 2400 BC.

The rectangular piece of bone has been smoothed and polished, then cut crossways almost all the way through. The cubes could have been used for a number of objects, including dice which have also been found at Skara Brae.

The convenient shapes and qualities of some animal bones made them ideal for certain kinds of objects and ornaments. Some parts needed little or no modifying to produce tools, while others, such as this one, needed careful work.

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