כלי העצם ממערת המטמון בנחל משמר

Among the rich and varied Chalcolithic artifacts from the Cave of the Treasure at Nahal Mishmar are several bone tools which are presented here. The bone tools seem to represent domestic types, commonly utilized for multiple daily tasks. They include bone points and spatulae resembling other bone tool assemblages from Chalcolithic settlements. The tools were fabricated from gazelle and caprine tibiae and metapodials using abrasive methods and sometimes scraping. There is one case of re-sharpening, but other than that the tools display rather short life histories, being lightly used and haphazardly discarded. Whereas the simple, practical and low-investment objects present a stark contrast to the extravagance of the treasure discovered in the cave their presence accords well with that of numerous other mundane artifacts found at the site.