Tool mark analysis of Neolithic wooden digging sticks from La Draga (Banyoles, Spain)

Abstract

Woodworking technology in prehistory has been studied primarily indirectly, which could be partial and incomplete information on wood technology. The Neolithic site of La Draga (Banyoles, Spain), due to its preservation of organic archaeological materials, presents exceptional conditions for its study. This paper will focus on the manufacture process of an ensemble of 44 wooden digging sticks from the site. It has been developed an experimental analysis, followed by the tool mark analysis of 3D models which suggests a differential woodworking process depending on the wooden raw material used; boxwood digging sticks required much more complex woodworking techniques. The 3D digitalization and tool mark analysis has been an excellent solution in order to prevent the fragile archaeological wooden tools from degradation and also it opens a wide and new range of possible research lines to be developed in the upcoming years as signature analysis.