Bone Fragments (or) Bone Beats

BONE FRAGMENTS (OR) BONE BEATS

During the Sangam period, the following items were made and used using bone fragments.

1. Bone Fragements under earth

The bone fragments found in the excavations at places like kodumanal, Keezhadi, Arikamedu, Rajapalayam, Alagankulam, Konthagai, etc., in Tamilnadu have been subjected to various studies. Based on that, it is predicted that the buried bone fragments may be from posthumous burials of humans or ornaments made from bone fragments of Sangam people or objects.

Burial Urns (Muthumakkal Thazhi)

During the Sangam period, there was practice of burying the dead body in a large pot in the earth. It had been used in the following three ways.

(i) When the elders were not able to be taken care of, they were kept in a large pot and buried with food and water.

(ii) The bone fragments of those who were buried elsewhere were dug out and buried in some other place.

(iii) The deceased were buried as per the current practice.

These are considered to be the source of bone fragments found underground.

2. Instruments made from bone fragments

1. Flute

Humanity's oldest musical instrument and oldest artifact is the flute. Ancient flutes made from animals and bird bones from the European upper Paleolithic have been found in the Swabian Alps in Germany.

The flute is the oldest musical instrument in the world as evidenced below. Carbon dating has determined that the flute is 42,000 to 43,000 old. The flute is made of bird's bone and mammoth's tusk. These tools are part of early modern humans in Europe. The flute might have been used for entertainment or religious rituals.

Evidence

A bone flute was discovered in the Keesenklos Derle in Germany.

2. Axe

During the Sangam period, especially in Northern European, Britain and Southern France double Axe was popular. It was made of bone. Archaeologists consider that it might be the ancestor of the stone beads.

Stone and bone beads were drilled at their narrow ends and became common in Scandinavia, during the late. Neolithic and are found in Megalithic tombs of Western Europe.

3. Chiming Beads

Chiming beads have been in use in Roman culture for over 5000 years. It has also been in use in India since the 2nd Century BC. Various materials are used in making these beads. These materials are cylindrical in shape. A bell is hung in the middle of it. Animal bones, pieces of wood, stones, etc., were used in the early period.

The movement of the wind causes the metal of the bell to strike against the bones, making a pleasant sound.

4. Garlands

Many garlands are made of beads, bones, conch and red stones. The beads in the garlands are made from the size of betel nut to the size of gourd. Some of them are flat; some are round and some are elongated. All the beads look as shiny as possible.

5. Combs

Sangam people used a variety of combs. They are made of ivory, cow, horn, bone and wood. Combs were made in many forms. Some of them were also used to insert into the hair. Even today in Burma, there is a custom of inserting combs into the hair.

Evidences

1. A beautifully carved ivory comb with teeth on both sides was found near the skull of a young woman in the grave.

2. A V-shaped comb was found in Mohenjodaro.

Scholars believe that these combs might have been used for combing the hair and keeping them in heads as they were finely made with close teeth.

Evidence

Sub Such a comb called 'Badari' was found in Egypt.

3. Mohenjo-daro (or) Indus Valley Civilization

Indus Valley people made beads and jewelry from bones. This is known from paintings, sculptures, etc., that they had worn such ornaments. These people used to make and wear their respective jewelry made of ivory, tone, makkal, conch, clay, etc.,

Evidence

A large number of rings made of conch, bone and clay were found in the excavations at Mohenjo-daro in the Indus valley.