Folia archeologica 47.
Csongrádiné Balogh Éva: Tipológiai és traszeológiai vizsgálatok rézkori és bronzkori pattintott kőeszközökön
PATTINTOTT KŐESZKÖZÖK VIZSGÁLATAI 41 function of the tools, of that use and function which otherwise can be only postulated from traditional typological features and macro use wear. t h Use wear studies were introduced already in the 19 century. The long development of investigating methods started with experimental microscopic studies made by the Russian scholar, S. Semonov. Later L. Keeley in the Chicago University and some other experts improved the method by using microscopes with an incidentlight attachment ad applying higher - at least lOOx - magnification. Nowadays also scanning electronmicroscope is used. During his experiments Keeley had succeeded to establish a collection of reference samples which help him to compare usewear resulted on experimental tools from working with them on different materials with the use wear can be observed on archeological material. The s.l. categories of stone tool usage are bone, hide, meat, antler and non arboreal plat working. 1 This method, called either "use wear study", "microwear study" or "traceologie" are by now already considered as routine investigations in several countries. In Hungary recently use wear studies on chipped stone tools were made by Erzsébet E. Bácskay. Like other archeologists working in this filed she, too, observed that on a certain quantity of prehistoric chipped stone tools some traces of use - e.g. polishes, traces of wear and tear, scars, etc. - are visible even to the naked eye or under a reading-glass. The most conspicuous one among these traces is the socalled sickle gloss which is created on the tools because of the polishing effect of those siliceous particles which can be found in the spears of cereals. The essence of the method called "traceologie": when some work was made with ancient tools this work leaves traces on the tool in the form of e.g. polishes, wear and tear, damage, scars, striations, which are preserved on the tool. And these traces are different depending on the raw material on which the tool was used (wood, plant, antler, bone, meat). Erzsébet Bácskay"s aim was to introduce this method in Hungary. She started her studies under the guidance of Brian Adams in 1994 within the frames of a three year OTKA project. She studied and described a few hundred samples. She wants to continue ner work with the detailed study of chipped stone tools from different ages, besides the analysis of Paleolithic material. 6 4 Use wear studies could be an important source of information for a better knowledge of activities carried out at prehistoric sites. Furthermore, microscopic use wear studies are suitable also to check up our ideas regarding traditional typological determinations of chipped stone tools. Taking into consideration the archeological context of the objects in question use wear study could be a very useful, contribution to the interpretation of prehistoric way of life. 6 5 Eva Csongrádi Balogh 6 3 Renfrew - Bahn 1999, 307. 6 4 Bácskay 1995, manuscript 6 5 Renfrew - Bahn 1999. 307-311.
