Measuring use-wear striations on quartz. First results from an ongoing study

Abstract

Inspired by earlier observations of use-wear on quartz, a pilot study has been undertaken, in which characteristics of microscopic striations have been linked to the properties of contact materials. Through a series of experiments, un-hafted and un-modified quartz flakes were used to cut different raw materials. Striations produced in the experiments were then studied via microscope using a high powered method. By comparing striations between the different experimental flakes, effects of the worked material could be observed. The results were then further tested by studying the collected joint length and width data through a statistical analysis. This analysis indicates how such data may distinguish different worked materials, and in particular are related to the relative hardness of the material. Though the role of environmental variation is not yet fully realized, the study has made evident that length and width of the use-wear striations should be considered important as they together have the potential to distinguish between different contact materials.