Crossing the Borders: New Methods and Techniques in the Study of Archaeological Materials from the Caribbean

10
The Significance of Wear and
Residue Studies
An Example from Plum Piece, Saba
Channah J. Nieuwenhuis
Introduction
Many archaeologists agree that statements on the function of stone tools cannot
be made without the study of microscopic wear traces. Although the morphology
of stone tools is still the first criterion to separate “tools” from “waste,” the presence
and type of use- wear on the surface of stone artifacts is a better indication of
use than morphology (Nieuwenhuis 2002). Complementary to these wear traces,
the study of residues can refine insights into specific tool uses and environmental
conditions and improves the effectiveness, accuracy, and applicability of weartrace
analysis. This chapter demonstrates this complementary approach, illustrating
this by means of an archaeological example.
Hard stone tools like querns, grinding stones, mortars, and pestles have long
been interpreted on the basis of their typo- morphology and macroscopically
visible wear on one or more surfaces. Hollowed areas and smoothened surfaces indicate
which area was most intensively used. Macroremains found in association
with these artifacts may give some clues to processed material. In this chapter it
will be argued that microscopic analysis can extend the limit of inference. A selection
of hard stone implements from an Archaic Age site on Saba, one of the Lesser
Antilles, serves as a case study.
Residues
Microscopic remains of worked material, adhering to the stone surface, can survive
thousands of years if buried under favorable conditions. These residues are
microscopic elements of either processed plants, animal, or (bio-)mineral prod-
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