WHY AND FOR WHAT OF THE ‘TRACEOLOGY’ IN PREHISTORIC ARCHEOLOGY
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Abstract
In this paper a series of questions related to the functional analyses of prehistoric tools based on the application of methods summarized under the umbrella traceological or in other words, use-wear analysis will be presented. Questions inherently related to the necessity of broadening the scope of this methodology in order to obtain data on the nature of social interactions are addressed. These analytical methods allow us to obtain basic information’s about the productive processes in which these distinct tools have been used, about the functionality of the archaeological sites, the organization of social space and the division of labor based on age and gender of their occupants. We
will touch upon some of these aspects based on our data obtained using these methods on archaeological materials from different chronologies and geographical contexts. On some of these occasions we will draw upon analysis and determinations provided by other researchers in order to emphasize certain aspects of research.