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Identifying Experimental Tool Use Through Confocal Microscopy

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Abstract

Characterizing use-wear traces quantitatively is a valid way to improve the capacity of use-wear analysis. This aim has been on specialists’ agenda since the beginning of the discipline. Micropolish quantification is especially important, as this type of trace allows the identification of worked materials. During the last decade, confocal microscopy has been used as a promising approach to address this question. Following previous efforts in plant microwear characterization (Ibáñez et al. Journal of Archaeological Science, 48, 96–103, 2014; Journal of Archaeological Science, 73, 62–81, 2016), here we test the capacity of the method for correctly grouping experimental tools used for working eight types of materials: bone, antler, wood, fresh hide, dry hide, wild cereals, domestic cereals, and reeds. We demonstrate, for the first time, that quantitative texture analysis of use-wear micropolish based on confocal microscopy can consistently identify tools used for working different contact materials. In this way, we are able to move toward using texture analysis as part of the standard functional analysis of prehistoric instruments.

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Funding

This study is part of the projects HAR2016-74999-P, HAR2015-68566-P, and HAR2016-81971-REDT funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Archaeology of Social Dynamics, Institución Milá y Fontanals, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), IMF-CSIC, Egipciacas 15, 08001, Barcelona, Spain

    J. J. Ibáñez

  2. PACEA (CNRS-University of Bordeaux), PACEA, University of Bordeaux, Allée Geoffroy Saint Hilaire, Bâtiment B8, 33615, Pessac Cedex, France

    T. Lazuen

  3. Instituto Internacional de Investigaciones Prehistóricas de Cantabria, IIIPC (University of Cantabria, Santander, Cantabria Government), University of Cantabria, Avda de Los Castros, 52 39005, Santander, Spain

    J. González-Urquijo

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  1. J. J. Ibáñez
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Correspondence to J. J. Ibáñez.

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Ibáñez, J.J., Lazuen, T. & González-Urquijo, J. Identifying Experimental Tool Use Through Confocal Microscopy. J Archaeol Method Theory 26, 1176–1215 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10816-018-9408-9

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