The analysis of bone surface modifications (BSM), such as butchering marks, is necessary to better understand how the exploitation of animal resources by past hominins influenced their biological and cultural evolution. Even if several studies have been carried out on this topic in the last decades, there are still some phenomena which need to be thoroughly understood. Here we try to quantify how can the depth of cut marks influence the shape of their cross-sections. This is of crucial important for a valid interpretation of shape data collected on archaeological BSMs. In particular, two groups of cut marks’ cross-sections experimentally produced with two flint burins on a cattle innominate are analysed in this paper by means of 3D microscopy and geometric morphometrics. The two sets of striae show a different depth and a different cross-sectional shape. In particular, shallower cross sections are characterized by less steep walls and consequently by a wider opening angle. If analysis moves to the characteristics of the cutting edge of the burins, it comes out that the different shape between the two groups of striations is probably a function of the way in which the tool penetrates into the bone. These results are relevant for taphonomy, since similar difference in cross-sectional shape were found between marks produced with different raw materials. This contribution highlights the importance of considering the characteristics of tool’s cutting edges in evaluating the meaning of shape variability of cut marks cross-sections. © 2019 International Conference on Metrology for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage.

Boschin, F., Moretti, E., Aureli, D., Crezzini, J., Arrighi, S. (2019). The cut runs deep: Linking the cut marks to the cutting tools. In 2019 IMEKO TC4 International Conference on Metrology for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, MetroArchaeo 2019 (pp.566-570). Budapest : IMEKO-International Measurement Federation Secretariat.

The cut runs deep: Linking the cut marks to the cutting tools

Boschin Francesco;Aureli Daniele;Crezzini Jacopo;Arrighi Simona
2019-01-01

Abstract

The analysis of bone surface modifications (BSM), such as butchering marks, is necessary to better understand how the exploitation of animal resources by past hominins influenced their biological and cultural evolution. Even if several studies have been carried out on this topic in the last decades, there are still some phenomena which need to be thoroughly understood. Here we try to quantify how can the depth of cut marks influence the shape of their cross-sections. This is of crucial important for a valid interpretation of shape data collected on archaeological BSMs. In particular, two groups of cut marks’ cross-sections experimentally produced with two flint burins on a cattle innominate are analysed in this paper by means of 3D microscopy and geometric morphometrics. The two sets of striae show a different depth and a different cross-sectional shape. In particular, shallower cross sections are characterized by less steep walls and consequently by a wider opening angle. If analysis moves to the characteristics of the cutting edge of the burins, it comes out that the different shape between the two groups of striations is probably a function of the way in which the tool penetrates into the bone. These results are relevant for taphonomy, since similar difference in cross-sectional shape were found between marks produced with different raw materials. This contribution highlights the importance of considering the characteristics of tool’s cutting edges in evaluating the meaning of shape variability of cut marks cross-sections. © 2019 International Conference on Metrology for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage.
2019
978-929900845-4
Boschin, F., Moretti, E., Aureli, D., Crezzini, J., Arrighi, S. (2019). The cut runs deep: Linking the cut marks to the cutting tools. In 2019 IMEKO TC4 International Conference on Metrology for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, MetroArchaeo 2019 (pp.566-570). Budapest : IMEKO-International Measurement Federation Secretariat.
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Boschin_et_al_2019_IMEKO_conference_cut_marks_3D.pdf

accesso aperto

Descrizione: Articolo principale
Tipologia: PDF editoriale
Licenza: PUBBLICO - Pubblico con Copyright
Dimensione 502.32 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
502.32 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11365/1095852