Material · organic
Bone and antler
North America — Arctic & Subarctic, North America — Great Plains, Europe — Western & Central, Near East & Mesopotamia
Bone and antler were worked into awls, needles, points, harpoons, beamers and ornaments by every prehistoric culture, from Magdalenian harpoons and Aurignacian points to Plains bison-scapula hoes and Thule harpoon heads. They survive mainly in caves, dry sites, permafrost and shell middens. Decorated bone is a prized but perilous category.
| Kind | organic |
|---|---|
| Regions | North America — Arctic & Subarctic, North America — Great Plains, Europe — Western & Central, Near East & Mesopotamia |
Sources
Bone came from game and domestic animals at every site; antler from deer, elk, reindeer and caribou; ivory from walrus, mammoth and elephant. Shed antler could be collected without killing the animal and was the preferred raw material for large tools.
Identification
Ancient bone is dry, light and often stained, with a matte surface and stone-tool marks showing V-section grooves; antler shows a spongy core and compact cortex. Ivory is denser with Schreger lines. Modern bone is greasy and white inside.
Substitutes and fakes
Decorated bone and antler are forged with steel tools on old bone; look for U-section cuts, fresh interiors and stain. Modern carvings from mammoth ivory are legal but sometimes sold as ancient.
Cite this article
Stratum Study. "Bone and antler" (Material). Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/study/materials/bone-and-antler. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-bone-and-antler,
title = {Bone and antler},
author = {{Stratum Study}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/study/materials/bone-and-antler}},
year = {2026},
note = {Material article, Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum. Accessed 2026-09-21.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.