Microwear and residue analyses in perspective: the contribution of ethnoarchaeological evidence

Abstract

This paper presents the results of combined though independent microwear and residue analyses on an ethnoarchaeological assemblage from Ethiopia. Although microwear and residue analyses both aim at deriving functional information from stone tools, we believe that each addresses different issues and that the techniques are largely complementary. Given the ethnoarchaeological nature of the assemblage, a thorough examination and comparison of both methodologies was highly informative. It was demonstrated that a combined approach compensates potential deficiencies of a particular method and that it allowed more confident functional interpretations.