EXPERIMENTAL AND TRACEOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE BASIS OF THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPEDITION OF THE ZALIZTSI MUSEUM OF LOCAL HISTORY

Abstract

One of the important components of experimental and traceological research are the imitation experiments on the manufacture of replicas of ancient tools and their processing of various materials: wood, bone, leather etc. Since 2013 during the work of the archaeological expedition an experimental area was deployed on the basis of the Late Paleolithic settlement Anetivka 2. Subsequently, the experience was shared in the Zaliztsi Museum of local lore with the students of the Kremenets Regional Humanitarian and Pedagogical Taras Shevchenko Academy. During the expedition, a series of experiments were conducted with tools for cutting fresh grass and meat handling. Each tool was operated for one hour, and every 15 minutes, the state of wear of the tool was examined under a microscope. In total, the time of working with tools took one hour. The results of the experiment were observed using a MSCROmed ZOOM 6630 binocular microscope, and the images were recorded using a Levenhuk M800 PLUS digital camera (8MP).

Cutting meat and hide. The meat cutting experiment was conducted using beef meat. The working edge profile acquired a serrated shape. The edge itself acquired a rounded shape and a bright, enveloping gloss during operation.

Deboning pork meat. The wear patterns on the cutting implement resulting from deboning differ from prior instances. As a result of this operation, a one-sided retouching of the utilization was formed on the edge adjacent to the bone. One tool was used as a knife to cut the hide. After examination under a microscope, it was found that the marks of hide cutting were very similar to those from cutting meat.

Cutting fresh grass. The process of formation and development of use-wear traces was similar across all four implements. The most evident traces appeared in the middle part of the tools. The gloss appeared greasy, opaque, and bright. Towards the end of the experiment, the working edge of the sickle, at the points experiencing the greatest load (closer to the proximal end), exhibited a distinct rounded profile. After one hour of operation, the sickles’ productivity remained unaltered. The obtained experimental tools can form the basis of a reference base for the study of Stone Age monuments in Ternopil and other regions.