Phalangeal carving by Bu Sands
The Bu Sands phalangeal carving is a Pictish figure carving found in the dunes of a bay on the east coast of the Orkney island of Burray , Scotland . In the past, the name Bu typically denoted the location of a farm. Sand mining and other activity led to the search for archaeological remains in the Bu Sands between 1987 and 1990. Reading findings were collected on a number of occasions. The finds consisted of Iron Age ceramics, stone tools and iron smelting waste , but mostly animal bones. In 1993 human remains were also reported. The presence of at least four graves was confirmed, but no orderly excavations were carried out.
The evaluation of the finds also consisted of recording and examining the bone finds in order to identify species and body parts. A bone fragment had a distinctive design on the surface. The carved bone is the phalange (toe bone) of an ox , of which only one side has been preserved. The piece is 53 mm high and varies in thickness between 19 and 30 mm. Apart from the surface scoring, there is no evidence of further processing of the bone.
The main part of the representation is a standing human figure 22 mm high. The figure wears a shirt-like tunic with folds around the arm and around the hem. A circular motif appears behind the figure, divided by a straight line. The carving was done with a sharp cutting tool. There are three other finds of phalangeal carvings from the Orkney .