MP Gallery - Markings, Signs, Graphemes; u) ablartetcuevmorinrb9

Iterative stroke marks, lines include (Type A) stroke marks, single, paired ('bi-lines') or multiple, usually parallel, rare with chevrons; (Type B) sets of long parallel lines, may entirely cross the plaquette, a MP innovation; (Type C) stroke marks in series, perhaps 'tally' or count marks; (Type D) serrated or notched edges of object, perhaps decorative. Verification of symbolic or decorative non-utilitarian intent must rule out use-striations, pushmarks, vascular grooves, cutmarks, etc.

Type A example shown below.

• Cueva Morin, Spain; Mousterian, three sets of paired lines on rib fragment; (Freeman and Gonzales Echegaray 1983; Bednarik 1995) [Type A]
• Abri Lartet, Montgaudier, France, Mousterian or Aurignacian; two engraved bone objects, one with three chevrons; one with two sets of paired stroke, one single stroke (Debénath and Duport 1971; Cremades 1996; Bednarik 1995) [Type C or A? or use wear?]

Drawings © Bednarik, R. (1995). Concept-mediated marking in the Lower Paleolithic. Current Anthropology 36,4:605-634; figure 9. After Freeman, L.G. and J. Gonzales Echegaray. 1983. Tally-marked bone from Mousterian levels at Cueva Morin (Santander, Spain), in Homenajeal Prof. M. Almagro Basch, Vol 1. Madrid: Ministerio de Cultura, 143-147; Debénath, A. and L. Duport. 1971. Os travaillés du Paléolithique ancien et moyen de Charente. Bulletin de la Société Archéologique et Historique de la Charente; p. 189-202, figure 10; also in Cremades, M., Laville, H., Sirakov, N. and J. K. Kozlowski. 1996. Une pierre gravee de 50,000 ans B.P. dans les Balkans. Paleo 7:201-209: Figure 4.