Session: #438

Theme & Session Format

Theme:
Theories and methods in archaeological sciences
Session format:
Session, made up of a combination of papers, max. 15 minutes each

Title & Content

Title:
Not only use: application of functional methods for a better comprehension of operative chains
Content:
In the past few years, new approaches emerged in wear studies including a wide variety of new analytical methods. Moreover, these studies have been frequently supported by experimental data in order to better interpret the archaeological record. The growing interest in understanding the function of objects has also enhanced to expand the materials (e.g. rock, shell, bone, metal, pottery) and types of objects (e.g. cutting tools, scrapers, ornaments, vessels) analysed.
One of the aims of this session is to bring together different methodologies used in wear studies and to take advantages of multidisciplinary studies of traces of different origin (i.e. technological marks, use-wear, post-depositional alteration marks and residues). Finally, in this session we aim to discuss the reconstruction of operative chain starting from object manufacture to its use and discard at the site.
Therefore, we invite presentations related to the study of marks resulting from production, use and post-depositional processes that will attempt to integrate different activities and different raw materials in both experimental and archaeological assemblages.
We also welcome contributions on the application of new methodologies with high diagnostic value to analyse traces of different origin. Combination of different methodologies and microscopic study techniques will be one of the central issues in this session. Furthermore, the development of new experiments and experimental protocols related to the formation of different traces on artefacts of different raw materials will have an important role within this session.
Keywords:
Traces, residues, experimental archaeology, microscopy
Session associated with MERC:
no
Session associated with CIfA:
no
Session associated with SAfA:
no

Organisers

Main organiser:
Juan Luis Fernández Marchena (Spain) 1
Co-organisers:
Dr. Lena Asryan (Armenia) 2
Dr. Antonella Pedergnana (Germany) 3
Dr. Andreu Ollé (Spain) 4,5
Affiliations:
1. SERP, Seminari d’Estudis i Recerques Prehistòriques. Secció de Prehistòria i Arqueologia, Facultat de Geografia i Història, Universitat de Barcelona, c/Montalegre 6-8, 08001 Barcelona, Spain.
2. Artsakh State University
3. Laboratory for Traceology and Controlled Experiments (TraCEr), MONREPOS Archaeological Research Centre and Museum for Human Behavioural Evolution
4. IPHES, Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social, Zona educacional 4, Campus Sescelades URV (Edif. W3), 43007 Tarragona, Spain.
5. Àrea de Prehistòria, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Fac. de Lletres, Av. Catalunya, 35, 43002 Tarragona, Spain.