Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

ariel · 5th June 2005, 12:21 AM

I do not think it is a bone, at least not human femur.
The top part of the handle indeed looks "peppered", and with a lot of imagination one could think it is the inner part of the bone. However, in reality, this part is very porous, with honeycomb appearance and very thin and brittle septae. It would not look solid as this one does and would just crumble with age. Second, just before the "turn", human femur has a protuberance, trochanter major, that is also composed of the honeycomb material. It is not there: the entire surface is solid as a cortical bone.
Is it a non-human bone? This is above my pay grade; ask a veterinarian.

5th June 2005, 12:21 AM	#4
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	I do not think it is a bone, at least not human femur. The top part of the handle indeed looks "peppered", and with a lot of imagination one could think it is the inner part of the bone. However, in reality, this part is very porous, with honeycomb appearance and very thin and brittle septae. It would not look solid as this one does and would just crumble with age. Second, just before the "turn", human femur has a protuberance, trochanter major, that is also composed of the honeycomb material. It is not there: the entire surface is solid as a cortical bone. Is it a non-human bone? This is above my pay grade; ask a veterinarian.