Têtes humérales et fémorales de bœuf retaillées : essai de synthèse sur des objets singuliers (VIe-XIIIe siècles)

National audienceMany articular condyle of femur, or more rarely of humerus, cattle, pig, small ruminants and camels were found on various archaeological sites in Europe and North Africa. If the first discoveries date to the Prehistory, many medieval copies (Ve –XIIIe centuries) were also identified. It was actually listed from Scotland to Estonia and Spain to Libya. A first inventory includes thirty copies in France.A quick presentation of these objects, the implementation technology to manufacture them helps us for their identification as a spindle whorl. This study addresses the contexts of discovery, their spatiotemporal distribution and related objects, especially other whorls and tools related to the textile industry in order to identify recurrences related to the use of these objects and their "environment" and perhaps better understand the value of making such objects