Museum complex

Bracelet blank

Siberia, Irkutsk Oblast, Malta site
Upper Palaeolithic
Malta culture
Mammoth tusk
11,8 х 9,9 cm
From: excavations by M.M. Gerasimov
Showcase 2

On the Malta site several types of ornaments were found. One of these types is bracelet. Complete items did not remain, only fragments and blanks. A unique item is a blank of such item. It is a massive flatten tablet-plate of subrectangular shape with smooth angles, carved of mammoth tusk and quite crudely cut on the edges. In the middle a small round hole was marked and a hollow was made. The hollow was cut or scraped. The items’ surface is irregular with traces of cutting and rasping. Outline of the item is not marked. Probably, at first the hole was cut and then outer borders of the item were made thinner. A craftsman started to cut and to scrape the surfaces of the blank, but for some reason he did not finish it. The surface is sharp and crudely treated by rasping. Apparently, the complete bracelet was supposed to be polished and grind off thoroughly. Bracelets on the Malta site were made not only of tusks: some fragments of items made of dark stone were found. Exhibits' purpose of use – probably bracelets could be used as an amulet or as an ornament.

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