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.
Autoría: Ibáñez, J.J., Lazuen, T., González-Urquijo, J.
Fuente: Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory (2019) 26(3):1176-1215
Editorial: Springer New York
Fecha de publicación: 01/09/2019
Nº de páginas: 40
Tipo de publicación: Artículo de Revista
DOI: 10.1007/s10816-018-9408-9
ISSN: 1072-5369,1573-7764
Proyecto español: HAR2016-74999-P
Url de la publicación: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10816-018-9408-9