Characterization of raw material in textile bone instruments from the capital of the Roman Province of Lusitania (Mérida, Spain)

Bone has long served as a versatile raw material in human societies due to its durability, workability, and availability. However, identifying the animal species used in worked bone artifacts remains challenging, as manufacturing processes and use-wear often remove diagnostic morphological features. This study applies Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS) to investigate raw material selection in textile-related bone tools from Augusta Emerita (Mérida, Spain), the capital of Roman Lusitania, dating to the 1st − 3rd centuries CE. The archaeological context of the assemblage is particularly significant, originating from contexts consisting of a bone processing workshop for the manufacture and sale of bone objects that is one of the first installations of this type identified in the Iberian Peninsula. A total of 36 artifacts associated with textile production were analyzed where five main taxonomic groups were identified: Bos taurus , Bovidae/Cervidae, Cervus elaphus , Elephas maximus , and an unidentified avian species. These results indicate a functional selection of common domestic and wild taxa, while the presence of exotic materials points to long-distance trade networks and the potential symbolic or social significance of certain artifacts, particularly in funerary contexts.