Much aggro about nothing.
Hearts and Aberdeen served up a bad-tempered 90 minutes at Tynecastle which produced six bookings and a rash of bad challenges.
Aberdeen will be the happier with the point with new manger Jimmy Calderwood yet to see his side concede a competitive goal which shows he has solid foundations to build upon.
Scott Severin made his return to Tynecastle after his summer signing by Aberdeen and was always in the thick of things in a game where neither side held back.
The game was punctuated by free-kicks as referee Kevin Toner struggled to keep control at times.
Ramon Pereira and Zander Diamond were involved in one ugly clash halfway through the first half which yielded a booking for each player.
The fluency of the game was interrupted by too many wild challenges and chances were few and far between in the first half.
Nevertheless, Markus Heikkinen should have put Aberdeen in front after 16 minutes when Alan Maybury was short with a passback but Craig Gordon was off his line quickly divert his shot for a corner kick.
It was the only effort Aberdeen had on goal in the first half and, while Hearts looked more lively going forward, Dave Preece was not unduly troubled.
Andy Webster headed a Paul Hartley free-kick well wide and then Preece did well to hold an angled header from Pereira from a Joe Hamill free-kick.
Hearts had another opportunity shortly afterwards when Hamill played on after Chris Clark had pulled up injured but the towering Russell Anderson cleared the danger before any damage could be done.
It would have been highly controversial had Hearts managed to find the net after the injury to Clark which meant him leaving the action after 34 minutes.
Phil Stamp forced a save from Preece with an effort from the edge of the box which lacked both power and direction.
The closest Hearts came to the breakthrough was five minutes from the break when Pereira was allowed to run at the heart of the Aberdeen defence but his final shot was just a yard too high.
Pereira looked the man most likely to prevent the game ending scoreless and he forced Preece into action again four minutes after half-time with a head-flick which the goalkeeper did well to touch over his crossbar.
Aberdeen thought they had strong claims for a penalty midway through the second half when Kevin McNaughton tumbled in the area after dispossessing Maybury but referee Toner waved play on.
At the other end, Patrick Kisnorbo headed wide from a Hartley corner but both sides were short on inspiration in attack.
Steven Craig lashed a shot over the crossbar after a Steve Tosh cross caused Hearts problems in what was only Aberdeen's second attempt at goal.
Aberdeen grew in strength as the game wore on. Steven Pressley made a terrific interception to prevent a Phil McGuire cross reaching Noel Whelan with Hearts stretched at the back.
With eight minutes left, Gordon did well to touch a header from Derek Adams over after a great run and cross from McNaughton.