Résumé
For a very long time, many studies have been interested in the question of the specialization of production in pre- andprotohistoric contexts, focusing, in particular, on the theoretical elaboration of criteria that could define the differentlevels of specialization and the status of craftsmen. The numerous works on flint, ceramics, metal or somes prestigious387materials have demonstrated the informative potential of this approach for the understanding of the organizationof these societies of the past. Production on hard animal materials has attracted much less study, with the exceptionperhaps, of certain very specific productions or those elaborated on prestigious materials like ivory or certain shells.Bone productions are nevertheless an integral part of the whole economic system but, in addition to not always beingnumerically abundant, they are marked by a strong and perennial technical tradition that can sometimes givethem a monotonous aspect of a daily domestic production. Beyond the theory, we tried to establish the most reliableand objective criteria possible that can help us understand to what extent we can evaluate the organization of thesebone productions, their destination and the role of the actors of these productions. In order to carry out this reflection,we have focused on the bone productions from the Terramare of the Northern Italian Middle Bronze Age, productionsknown for their impressive quantity and quality and which are one of the particular aspects of this culture.