NO-17 bone point

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Object
Classification:	bone
Archaeological type:	bone point
Material:	bone
Size:	length: 14.6 cm, width: 9 mm, thickness: 6 mm
Condition:	complete
Date:	5th–2nd centuries BC
Date derived from:	archaeological context
Site:	Cles (Trento, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy)
Field name:	Campi Neri
Archaeological context:	sanctuary (Objects: NO-15 rod, NO-16 bronze, NO-17 bone point)
Coordinates (approx.):	46° 22' 1.20" N, 11° 1' 58.80" E [from site]
Find date:	between 1999 and 2007
Find circumstances:	excavation
Current location:	Museo Retico Sanzeno (on exhibition)
Inventory Nr.:	CCN 3066
Inscription:	NO-17 (ketanuvaleutiku)
Sources:	Marchesini 2014: 138, fig. 4

Images

Object NO-17 bone point with inscription NO-17.

Commentary

Bone point.
Small bone rod; complete extant. Divided into an elongated section with a flat, long-oval and edged cross section and a lanceolate and perforated part. Greyish-brownish in colour. On the back side a deep indentation.
The above-mentioned dimensions result of the autopsy by the Thesaurus Inscriptionum Raeticarum. Marchesini notes: "lungh. 13,9 cm; diam. medio 0,5 cm; largh. max della lancia 0,9 cm" (cp. Marchesini 2014: 138).
Along an extensive inscription which indicates a dedication because utiku appears and utiku can be connected with the ritual act of dedication.
The bone point was found during the excavations effected in Cles, Campi Neri between 1999 and 2007. The excavations were executed by the monument protection service. Due to these excavations the area of the Campi Neri could be identified as cult site with a duration from the end of the Copper Age to the late Roman Period, almost without interruption of use. The findings related to the Fritzens-Sanzeno culture can be dated from the 5th to the 2nd centuries BC (cp. Endrizzi 2014: 128).
According to Gamper's explanations related to the discoveries on the Ganglegg hill, it can be said that the occurrence related to bone points includes the areas along the Val d'Adige (Etschtal) to the Valpolicella region (cp. map 29 in Gamper 2006: 143). Inscribed bone points appear in the settlements among others of Sanzeno and Montesei di Serso. Cp. in the Thesaurus Inscriptionum Raeticarum i.a. an incised bone point from Sanzeno, preserved in the Castello del Buonconsiglio, Inv. No. 7.043:

Object EX-35 bone point.

These settlements date to middle and late La Tène period. However there are other bone points e.g. from Monte Ozol which already date to the late Hallstatt period. But these objects are neither inscribed nor decorated and the dimension of these is larger than of those which date to later periods. The function of these bone points are uncertain. It can be suggested that they were used in handcraft sector or that they were part of the attire. Related to this insecurity Gamper indicates these objects on one side as bone points ("Knochenspitze"), otherwise he uses the term needle ("Nadel") (cp. Gamper 2006: 145). The secondary function of these bone points must connected with the ritual/cultic sphere i.a. these bone points were ritually deposited when a house or houses were forsaken. So far this ritual context can be verified only on the Ganglegg hill and the here located settlement. Related to altogether four houses resp. rooms this ritual use of the bone points is proved. Gamper suggests that a partly ritual function of the bone points can be supposed for the late La Tène period (cp. Gamper 2006: 145). Concerning the present bone point the interpretation of the finding place as cult site as well as the appearance of utiku in the inscription suggest that the bone point represents a votive offering.
In the recently released study about the Raetic inscriptions by Marchesini the object is listed with "MLR 31", an autopsy was effected. The here given inventory number "R.R. 3066" displays the find number (cp. MLR: 59 [MLR 31]; Note: R.R. = Reperto registrato). The above-mentioned inventory number "CCN 3066" is the actually valid inventory number where the indication "CCN" refers to the finding place Cles, Campi Neri.
Comparative examples in the Thesaurus Inscriptionum Raeticarum: On the Ganglegg hill were discovered several inscribed bone points (cp. in the Thesaurus Inscriptionum Raeticarum: VN-9 bone point, VN-11 bone point,VN-12 bone point, VN-16 bone point and VN-18 bone point) as well as a large number of bone points with incised signs of which the interpretation is uncertain (cp. EX-16–EX-19, EX-23–EX-27; for more information see here). Probably these signs present decorations, numbers or the like. Further examples of inscribed bone points derive from other find places (cp. in the Thesaurus Inscriptionum Raeticarum: VR-17 bone point). Marchesini indicates SZ-48 bone as fragment of a further bone point (cp. Marchesini 2014: 138).
Autopsied by the Thesaurus Inscriptionum Raeticarum in October 2014.

S.K.

Bibliography

Endrizzi 2014	Lorenza Endrizzi, "Nota sul rinvenimento e inquadramento contestuale", in: Simona Marchesini, "Nuove iscrizioni retiche da Cles e Sanzeno (Trento)", in: Rosa Roncador, Franco Nicolis, Antichi popoli delle Alpi. Sviluppi culturali durante l'età del Ferro nei territori alpini centro-orientali (Atti della giornata internazionale di studi 1 maggio 2010 Sanzeno, Trento), Trento: Provincia autonoma di Trento. Soprintendenza per i beni architettonici e archeologici 2014, 127–144, 128.
Gamper 2006	Peter Gamper, Die latènezeitliche Besiedlung am Ganglegg in Südtirol. Neue Forschungen zur Fritzens-Sanzeno-Kultur [= Internationale Archäologie 91], Rahden/Westfalen: Leidorf 2006.
Marchesini 2014	Simona Marchesini, "Nuove iscrizioni retiche da Cles e Sanzeno (Trento)", in: Rosa Roncador, Franco Nicolis, Antichi popoli delle Alpi. Sviluppi culturali durante l'età del Ferro nei territori alpini centro-orientali (Atti della giornata internazionale di studi 1 maggio 2010 Sanzeno, Trento), Trento: Provincia autonoma di Trento. Soprintendenza per i beni architettonici e archeologici 2014, 127–144.