3D digitization and archaeobotanical analysis of wooden artifacts

Abstract

The study of wooden artifacts recovered in dry context is scarce. The objective of this work is to identify morphometric patterns in wooden artifacts and to evaluate their relationship with the technological manufacturing processes. To this end, wooden artifacts were analyzed from the site Cerro Casa de Piedra 7, through the 3D scanning, calculation of curvature directions and archaeobotanical analysis. These artifacts are associated to hunter-gatherer groups and different occupations of the early Holocene. The results obtained show, on the one hand, the efficiency of the use of these techniques in the analysis of wooden artifacts recovered in completely dry contexts. The use of 3D scanning techniques showed that they can improve the analysis of manufacturing traces and/or use of wooden artifacts and the possibility of simulating the obtained results by computer. On the other hand, they show the existence of morphometric patterns, sustained in time, which are related to the manufacturing of the artifacts from the Cerro Casa de Piedra 7. In summary, the archaeobotanical analysis methodology presented and developed in this work allows its application to the study of different woody materials regardless of their chronology and recovery site.