Bone and Ivory Objects Found in Old Smyrna

Abstract

In this article, bone and ivory artifacts discovered in Old Smyrna, one of the most important cities in Western Anatolian region, were examined and classified according to their intended use. Most of the objects were found and recorded in previous excavations prior to 2014 and just lately observed during the latest arrangements made in the storehouse. The other part includes the finds unearthed in the recent excavations since 2014. Sixty-three artifacts were examined, including rings, ornaments (fibula, beads, hairpins, pendants), game pieces (game piece, fish vertebrae, astragals), appliqués, and tool handles. All the items were compared with akin samples from nearby and distant archaeological sites, and those with contexts were dated according to the ceramic groups found with them. The worked bone and ivory objects researched in Old Smyrna, inhabited from the Early Bronze Age to the Hellenistic Period, were dated to periods within the 1st millennium BC. Overall, due to the limited number of studies, the Old Smyrna finds will make essential contribution to the insufficient level of bone and ivory object researches. These objects provide insight into the daily lives of the people who lived in Smyrna.