Middle and Late Neolithic (4200-2000 cal BC) of the Lithuanian coast are well known because of dozens of sites that have been investigated and are still being investigated in the environs of the Šventoji settlement as well as on the Curonian Spit. On the contrary, very few Late Mesolithic (7000-5300 cal BC) and Early Neolithic (5300-4200 cal BC) sites have been discovered so far. The aim of this publication is to present archaeological finds and radiocarbon dates from the little-known Late Mesolithic and Early Neolithic Lithuanian coastal sites -Smeltė (Klaipėda city) and Palanga (Palanga city). Both were discovered during constructional and drainage works during the 3rd quarter of the 20th century. Right then and also some time after the discovery both sites were severely or even totally destroyed by urbanization. Today, field research seems to be especially complicated there. Short excavation reports, museums' inventories, and artefacts themselves -almost exclusively bone and antler tools were the main sources for this study. Direct AMS 14 C dates together with the most recent information about the Baltic Sea coastlines enable us to overcome some shortcomings caused by poor field documentation and to put the Palanga and Smeltė sites into the most probable chronological, palaeogeographic and cultural contexts of the southern and eastern Baltic Sea area. Some scientific problems related to sites in question, e.g. the topography of coastal sites, the beginning of pottery and amber production in the southern and eastern Baltic Sea area have also been discussed from several viewpoints.

Archaeological investigations in Tornimäe in the eastern part of the island Saaremaa took place in 1963, 1968 and 2004. Artefacts found during the excavations are mainly dated to the Viking Age. Most of the finds are pottery shards, some metal artefacts were found, and also animal bones. The majority of mammal bones are bones of domestic animals. Nearly half of these are caprine bones, bones of cattle, pig and horse are less numerous. Wild game bones are few, only seals were hunted more often. Bird and fish bones are also represented. Only a few bone artefacts were among the finds, more fragments of bone items were found among the animal bones during the identification of osteological material. The bone artefacts found in Tornimäe are rather simple items which do not require special skills from the bone worker and could have been made by the users of these artefacts. The uses of bone artefacts are well suited with the location of the site at the seashore.

Archaeological finds from the Late Bronze Age fortified settlements in eastern Baltic include arrowheads, which are outstanding for their careful finishing. Investigating the making of arrowheads, a certain standardization of arrowheads and uniform manufacturing techniques can be observed. The attention is paid to working traces on these arrowheads; a replica of such arrowhead was also made. An answer is sought to the question whether bone arrowheads were used as weapons or for hunting. Considering the shape and properties of bone arrowheads, as well as the absence or scarceness of arrowheads of other material on these sites, one may conclude that the carefully elaborated bone arrowheads were used for warfare.Baltimaade noorema pronksiaja kindlustatud asulate arheoloogilises leiumaterjalis esineb luust nooleotsi, mis paistavad silma hoolika töötluse poolest. Nende puhul on jälgitav teatud standardiseeritus ja ühetaoline valmistamistehnoloogia. Tähelepanu on pööratud nooleotstel leiduvatele töötlemisjälgedele; on valmistatud ka seesuguse nooleotsa koopia. On püütud leida vastust küsimusele, kas luust nooleotsad olid relvad või jahiriistad. Arvestades luust nooleotste kuju ja omadusi, samuti muust materjalist nooleotste puudumist või vähesust neis muististes, võib järeldada, et hoolikalt töödeldud luust nooleotsi kasutati sõjarelvadena.

The paper deals with antler working and antler artefacts in the Late Bronze Age fortified settlements on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. The reasons behind the ancient craftsmen's choice of material may be functional, economical or depend on cultural traditions. Concerning skeletal materials artefacts were usually made from the bones of the species occurring also among faunal remains. Functional choice depends on the suitability of a bone for an artefact. At the same time, traditions could exist concerning the suitability of certain skeletal element for making a certain tool or artefact. Antler could be preferred as a material for making artefacts because of its dimensions and properties. Antler is tougher and more elastic than bone, therefore it was preferred to bone especially for artefacts or details requiring greater toughness. In the paper an overview of antler working technologies and antler artefacts most typical for the Late Bonze Age fortified settlements in the eastern Baltic region is given. Antler artefacts and traces of antler working in the Late Bronze Age fortified settlements are compared with other contemporaneous sites -open settlements and stone graves, and also with the use of antler in the long run, from the Neolithic until the Viking Age.

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