The Elks of Šventoji: Taking another Closer Look

Abstract

The elk staff is a characteristic Stone Age artefact from the Baltic region. The most elegant specimens have been found in the Olenij Ostrov burial site and various Stone Age sites in Sventoji. In 2016, the use-wear of artefacts found in the Stone Age sites of Sventoji was studied microscopically under a magnification factor of 690. The research effort also resulted in the successful dating of one of the staves found at the third archaeological site of Sventoji. The article presents the results and findings of the study, supplementing what is already known about the artefacts. Key words: Sventoji, Stone Age, elk staffs, use-wear analysis, radiocarbon dating. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15181/ab.v25i0.1834