Bone and antler combs: towards a methodology for the understanding of trade and identity in Viking Age England and Scotland

S.P. Ashby; H. Luik; A.M. Choyke; C.E. Batey; L. Lougas

Bone and antler combs: towards a methodology for the understanding of trade and identity in Viking Age England and Scotland

S.P. Ashby, H. Luik (Editor), A.M. Choyke (Editor), C.E. Batey (Editor), L. Lougas (Editor)

Archaeology

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

Abstract

This paper outlines the methodology of a doctoral research project at the University of York. The medium of study is the bone and antler hair comb, and the approach is one of integration. The project’s aims are twofold: to elucidate the means of distribution of these artefacts, and to develop our understanding of identity in Viking Age England and Scotland. The first phase of the project involves the review of methods of raw material analysis, whereby new and established identification criteria will be tested on a large sample of modern material. Should the results prove promising, the techniques will be employed in a study of combs from Viking Age contexts in northern England and Scotland. These zoologically-based methods will then be integrated with techniques taken from other areas of artefact analysis. Style and manufacture will be investigated through a variety of statistical and map-based techniques. These fine-grained analyses will develop our understanding of the way in which these objects were produced and exchanged. Building from these bases, a study of context and associations, together with a review of ethnohistoric evidence from the period, should help to elucidate the comb’s role in the construction of identity.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	From Hooves to Horns, from Mollusc to Mammoth: Manufacture and Use of Bone Artefacts from Prehistoric Times to the Present
Place of Publication	Tallinn
Publisher	University of Tartu
Pages	255-262
Number of pages	7
Volume	Proceedings of the 4th Meeting of the Worked Bone Research Group, Tallinn, Estonia, August 2003
ISBN (Print)	ISBN-13: 978-9985-50-383-6
Publication status	Published - 2005

Publication series

Name	Muinasaja Teadus
Publisher	University of Tartu
Volume	15

Bibliographical note

Uploaded with permission from the editor-in-chief of the series Muinasaja teadus

Access to Document

WBRG_2004.pdf

Cite this

Ashby, S. P., Luik, H. (Ed.), Choyke, A. M. (Ed.), Batey, C. E. (Ed.), & Lougas, L. (Ed.) (2005). Bone and antler combs: towards a methodology for the understanding of trade and identity in Viking Age England and Scotland. In From Hooves to Horns, from Mollusc to Mammoth: Manufacture and Use of Bone Artefacts from Prehistoric Times to the Present (Vol. Proceedings of the 4th Meeting of the Worked Bone Research Group, Tallinn, Estonia, August 2003, pp. 255-262). (Muinasaja Teadus; Vol. 15). University of Tartu. http://www.york.ac.uk/archaeology/staff/academic-staff/steve-ashby/

Ashby, S.P. ; Luik, H. (Editor) ; Choyke, A.M. (Editor) et al. / Bone and antler combs: towards a methodology for the understanding of trade and identity in Viking Age England and Scotland. From Hooves to Horns, from Mollusc to Mammoth: Manufacture and Use of Bone Artefacts from Prehistoric Times to the Present. Vol. Proceedings of the 4th Meeting of the Worked Bone Research Group, Tallinn, Estonia, August 2003 Tallinn : University of Tartu, 2005. pp. 255-262 (Muinasaja Teadus).

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abstract = "This paper outlines the methodology of a doctoral research project at the University of York. The medium of study is the bone and antler hair comb, and the approach is one of integration. The project{\textquoteright}s aims are twofold: to elucidate the means of distribution of these artefacts, and to develop our understanding of identity in Viking Age England and Scotland. The first phase of the project involves the review of methods of raw material analysis, whereby new and established identification criteria will be tested on a large sample of modern material. Should the results prove promising, the techniques will be employed in a study of combs from Viking Age contexts in northern England and Scotland. These zoologically-based methods will then be integrated with techniques taken from other areas of artefact analysis. Style and manufacture will be investigated through a variety of statistical and map-based techniques. These fine-grained analyses will develop our understanding of the way in which these objects were produced and exchanged. Building from these bases, a study of context and associations, together with a review of ethnohistoric evidence from the period, should help to elucidate the comb{\textquoteright}s role in the construction of identity.",

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year = "2005",

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Ashby, SP, Luik, H (ed.), Choyke, AM (ed.), Batey, CE (ed.) & Lougas, L (ed.) 2005, Bone and antler combs: towards a methodology for the understanding of trade and identity in Viking Age England and Scotland. in From Hooves to Horns, from Mollusc to Mammoth: Manufacture and Use of Bone Artefacts from Prehistoric Times to the Present. vol. Proceedings of the 4th Meeting of the Worked Bone Research Group, Tallinn, Estonia, August 2003, Muinasaja Teadus, vol. 15, University of Tartu, Tallinn, pp. 255-262. <http://www.york.ac.uk/archaeology/staff/academic-staff/steve-ashby/>

Bone and antler combs: towards a methodology for the understanding of trade and identity in Viking Age England and Scotland. / Ashby, S.P.; Luik, H. (Editor); Choyke, A.M. (Editor) et al.
From Hooves to Horns, from Mollusc to Mammoth: Manufacture and Use of Bone Artefacts from Prehistoric Times to the Present. Vol. Proceedings of the 4th Meeting of the Worked Bone Research Group, Tallinn, Estonia, August 2003 Tallinn: University of Tartu, 2005. p. 255-262 (Muinasaja Teadus; Vol. 15).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

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T1 - Bone and antler combs: towards a methodology for the understanding of trade and identity in Viking Age England and Scotland

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A2 - Choyke, A.M.

A2 - Batey, C.E.

A2 - Lougas, L.

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PY - 2005

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N2 - This paper outlines the methodology of a doctoral research project at the University of York. The medium of study is the bone and antler hair comb, and the approach is one of integration. The project’s aims are twofold: to elucidate the means of distribution of these artefacts, and to develop our understanding of identity in Viking Age England and Scotland. The first phase of the project involves the review of methods of raw material analysis, whereby new and established identification criteria will be tested on a large sample of modern material. Should the results prove promising, the techniques will be employed in a study of combs from Viking Age contexts in northern England and Scotland. These zoologically-based methods will then be integrated with techniques taken from other areas of artefact analysis. Style and manufacture will be investigated through a variety of statistical and map-based techniques. These fine-grained analyses will develop our understanding of the way in which these objects were produced and exchanged. Building from these bases, a study of context and associations, together with a review of ethnohistoric evidence from the period, should help to elucidate the comb’s role in the construction of identity.

AB - This paper outlines the methodology of a doctoral research project at the University of York. The medium of study is the bone and antler hair comb, and the approach is one of integration. The project’s aims are twofold: to elucidate the means of distribution of these artefacts, and to develop our understanding of identity in Viking Age England and Scotland. The first phase of the project involves the review of methods of raw material analysis, whereby new and established identification criteria will be tested on a large sample of modern material. Should the results prove promising, the techniques will be employed in a study of combs from Viking Age contexts in northern England and Scotland. These zoologically-based methods will then be integrated with techniques taken from other areas of artefact analysis. Style and manufacture will be investigated through a variety of statistical and map-based techniques. These fine-grained analyses will develop our understanding of the way in which these objects were produced and exchanged. Building from these bases, a study of context and associations, together with a review of ethnohistoric evidence from the period, should help to elucidate the comb’s role in the construction of identity.

M3 - Chapter

SN - ISBN-13: 978-9985-50-383-6

VL - Proceedings of the 4th Meeting of the Worked Bone Research Group, Tallinn, Estonia, August 2003

T3 - Muinasaja Teadus

SP - 255

EP - 262

BT - From Hooves to Horns, from Mollusc to Mammoth: Manufacture and Use of Bone Artefacts from Prehistoric Times to the Present

PB - University of Tartu

CY - Tallinn

ER -

Ashby SP, Luik H, (ed.), Choyke AM, (ed.), Batey CE, (ed.), Lougas L, (ed.). Bone and antler combs: towards a methodology for the understanding of trade and identity in Viking Age England and Scotland. In From Hooves to Horns, from Mollusc to Mammoth: Manufacture and Use of Bone Artefacts from Prehistoric Times to the Present. Vol. Proceedings of the 4th Meeting of the Worked Bone Research Group, Tallinn, Estonia, August 2003. Tallinn: University of Tartu. 2005. p. 255-262. (Muinasaja Teadus).