Macro and Micro Evidences from the Past: The state of the Art of Archeological Use-Wear Studies

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the historical background ofthe theory and methodological background of functional studies. Since Semenov's systematic research, use-wear and residue studies had focus on the observation, identification, and interpretation of different evidences of use in archeological tools in order to understand human technological and socio-cultural behavior. One of the main statements in use-wear and residue analysis is that different variables (i.e., raw materials, worked material, movement) are responsible for different kinds of relict macro- and micro-wear traces, requiring occasionally specific analyzing methods. Although as discussed above, functional studies are complex, wear traces undoubtedly associated with nurnerous variables, requiring a constant methodological and technological improvement. This has been clear from the last decades of research, during which functional analysis have focused on different research topics. Therefore, during the last decades, functional analysis was marked by the development of theory, method, and techniques in order to infer prehistoric tools functionality. This methodological agenda effort to improve systematic criteria to clear identify, classify, and interpret ali different wear traces, while the development of specific techniques, such as several macro and microscopic approaches (e.g., SEM and LSCM) focuses on specific question related to specific variables.