Red Deer Antler Artefacts from Gordineşti II- ”Stînca goală” and Vynnyky-”Zhupan”: Shape-and-Trace Formation Processes in Natural, Functional and Depositional Contexts

Abstract

The paper scrutinizes the red deer hard tissues from the contexts attributed to the Trypillia Culture’s final phases. Having once been reported elsewhere, the objects under study are this time conceptualized in terms of shape-and trace formation processes, with an eye to incorporating them into research advances under the topic of the late Trypillia transformation, including typological affiliation, radiocarbon dating, archaeoecology, subsistence studies, etc. Particular attention is paid to artefacts that lack the overwhelming power of the tiniest wear marks, but do display extensive topographic features of manufacture and use. The formalized shape-and-trace aspects for the antler artefacts are proposed, which are considered to be suitable rather for a morphological than for a morphographicsystematization of a prehistoric antler assemblage. An interpretative application of the shape-and-trace approach for the sake of clarification of both past currents in morphogenesis of artefacts and praxis of their use is only possible in a systemic context of knowledge about habitats and lifestyles of the past.