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Late medieval bone bead production: socio-economic aspects based on material from Constance, Germany

Thomas Alexander SPITZERS

en Anthropozoologica 25-26 - Pages 157-164

Published on 01 June 1998

This article is a part of the thematic issue Proceedings of the 7th ICAZ International Meeting, Constance, September 1994

This paper presents the preliminary results of a study of a massive find of bone bead production refuse from three different production phases dated between the late 13th and the early 16th centuries. Differences in the choice of skeletal elements, in the efficiency of use of these raw-materials, and in the form of the products, indicate a growing degree of rationalization. Though at first accompanied by a growing pressure on supply of raw material, this development continued into the 15th century independent of the changing relationship between the availability of raw material and demand for it, showing early signs of mass production.


Keywords:

Medieval, Industry, Boneworking, Technics,Constance.

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