Use-wear analysis of bone and antler tools from Farneto (Bologna, Italy) and Sa Osa (Oristano, Italy) archaeological sites

The aim of this study is the reconstruction of past use and function of bone and antler tools, referring to two archaeological sites of Copper Age occupation: Farneto rockshelter (Bologna, Italy) and Sa Osa site (Oristano, Italy). The collections respectively result from a museum old collection, and a preventive excavation rescue. Besides, a de-contextualisation and the nearly total lack of manufacturing waste are recorded: the collections are mainly composed by finished tools, with pointed tools and bevelled tools as recurring typologies. The applied methodology take instance from the bone industry studies and functional analyses, which allow identifying the modalities of exploitation of osseous materials during Prehistory for utilitarian purposes. Observations under stereomicroscope and metallographic microscope highlight the presence of anthropic marks formed on tools surface during their use in past recurring activities. An experimental activity is also performed, in order to create a reliable reference collection to compare with the macro and micro traces recorded on the archaeological tools. The resulting data and the integration of different approaches in an interdisciplinary research, allowed reconstructing the past use for the most recurrent tools typologies identified at Farneto rockshelter and Sa Osa sites' collections.