Spatula or bone pendant

Object description

Bone spatulas and needles are common artifacts, but, generally, devoid of any decoration. The exhibit on display is, therefore, a rare object in Brazilian Archaeology.

Made of a long fauna bone, this mobile art artifact was decorated with lines and dots along the body of the piece. At one end, a hole mark in what is left of one of the faces suggests that it was a pendant used as a time marker by its owner.

Cultural affiliation of the object

Prehistoric period

Una Tradition

Unaí Phase

Location Unaí, Minas Gerais

Lapa da Foice I site – MP RG 08

Level 50 – 60 cm (19,9 – 23,6 inches)

Cultural analysis of the object

Type Pendant or spatula

Bone material

Dimension 12x 2 cm (4,7 x 0,7 inches)

Relative Dating 1500 BP

IAB 1980 Collection Source

Catalog 1590