Thanks for all the help folks-- Kat, that site is amazing, though I couldn't get all the links in it to work. He cites some interesting articles in Scientific American about European archeological finds that are very interesting-- like the Neanderthal bear bone flute. (60,00 -82,000 years old!)

I've actually done a lot of work making things (rattles and carved pendants/amulets mostly) from bone and antler, so I'm pretty familiar with working with it-- much harder (and smellier!) than wood, but a lot of what I work with is found material (road kill and deer hunter leavings dragged in by the dog)so the hard work (cleaning it) is usually done already.

Kat, the training is underway as we speak but they won't be making things till later this week and next. The fellow in question is visiting from Australia and already plays the whistle, so that will make it easier I think as he knows something about them...

Bekki