April 2018 Artifact of the Month

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‘Buttoned Up’: Worked Animal Bone and Antler Artifacts

March 2010, “Nineteenth-Century Bone Craftsmanship” Artifact of the Month postcard produced by the Archaeology and Historic Architecture Group of URS Corporation

Nearly 14 pounds of animal bone and antler pieces was discovered in 2007 by archaeologists working along the Philadelphia waterfront. The concentration of bone was found behind historic Richmond Street, along 1-95, near the Girard Avenue interchange. The archaeologists were conducting a cultural resource survey for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

This collection of fauna, or animal bone, is thought to be waste from small-scale bone craft production dating to the Nineteenth-Century. Much of the bone was worked (shaped) into circular disks cut from cow shin bones. These bone buttons would have been finished into inexpensive, two, four, and five hole, sew-through buttons used for pans or coats. Other disks may have been covered in textile or stamped metal. Plain bone buttons were utilitarian in nature and secured undergarments while treated bone disk buttons (covered) would have been used on garments to secure the clothing and as ‘display’ elements (such as buttons on a coat cuff). The production of bone buttons left behind “button blanks” – sections of cow long (or leg) bones heavily impacted by the drilling out of circular shaped pieces.

Other items found in this bone deposit were bone handles made for knives and forks, and bone fasteners (nuts with a threaded internal hole to fasten two parts together). Bone craftsmanship of this type produced other kinds of objects that were part of everyday life including lathe-turned handles, combs, and even gaming pieces.

This is not the first cache of buttons found by archaeologists in Philadelphia. More costly, fashionably upscale, abolone and green turban shell beads were discovered at another button factory site in the 1970s by archaeologists excavating near 3rd and Chestnut Streets in Independence National Historical Park.

While zippers, snaps, hooks, and even Velcro have replaced many functional uses for clothing buttons, buttons remain culturally ingrained in our way of life — from the campaign season political button (purely display) to the allegorical use of the term in language references such as “He really pushes my buttons”, “She is cute as a button!” and (In going off to college) “Bust your buttons”.

Learn more about how buttons are used as clues to understanding life in the past…
DAACS Cataloging Manual: Buttons (by Jennifer Aultman and Kate Grillo), updated 2012
Dress for Life and Death: The Archaeology of Common Nineteenth – Century Buttons (by Anatolijs Venovcevs) 2013

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This write-up (by Patrice L. Jeppson) draws upon the March 2010, “Nineteenth-Century Bone Craftsmanship” Artifact of the Month postcard produced by the Archaeology and Historic Architecture Group of URS Corporation.


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