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Introduction
Walter Gneisinger currently works at the Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum - Archäologisches Forschungszentrum Schloss Monrepos . Walter is involved in Traceology and Controlled Experiments Their most recent publication is 'Understanding artifact variability and function in the evolution of human behavior: Introducing the Laboratory for Traceology and Controlled Experiments (TraCEr)'.
Skills and Expertise
Publications
Publications (43)
Traceological studies aim at the recognition and the identification of use-wear traces on artefacts to gain a functional interpretation of past human technologies. However, the development of use-wear traces is known to be dependent on different mechanics involved, such as those related to the contact materials, but also to the tool raw material an...
The common method of securing tool marks on crime scenes is by casting using silicone rubbers. Casts are a non-destructive, low-cost and quick method for preserving the topography details of marks. Consequently, a range of specifically formulated silicones with varying properties such as curing time, viscosity, crosslinking mechanism, colour, resol...
Moulding using malleable polymerising materials such as silicone rubbers is a non-destructive, low-cost and quick method for documenting and replicating the form and/or surface topography of objects. Consequently, a range of specifically formulated silicones with varying properties such as curing time, polymerisation reaction, chemical stability, c...
In the archaeological record, Ground Stone Tools (hereafter GST) represent an important tool group that provides invaluable data for exploring technological development and changes in resource exploitation over time. Despite its importance, Lower and Middle Paleolithic (MP) GST technology remains poorly known and understudied. The MP record of the...
Focussing on the role of contact materials as an element of variable control in archaeological use-wear experiments, this protocol sets out a workflow for the preparation, use and documentation of standardized beechwood contact samples. Although developed in the context of rig-based experimentation with bronze axe replicas as part of MAP, it follow...
Ground Stone Tools (GST) have been identified in several Levantine archaeological sites dating to the Middle Paleolithic. These tools, frequently made of limestone, are often interpreted based on their morphology and damage as having been used for knapping flint, and sometimes for breaking animal bones or processing vegetal materials as well. Howev...
In the archaeological record, Ground Stone Tools (hereafter GST) represent an important tool group that provides invaluable data for exploring technological development and changes in resource exploitation over time. Despite its importance, Lower and Middle Paleolithic (MP) GST technology remains poorly known and understudied. The MP record of the...
Ground Stone Tools (GST) have been identified in several Levantine archaeological sites dating to the Middle Paleolithic. These tools, frequently made of limestone, are often interpreted based on their morphology and damage as having been used for knapping flint, and sometimes for breaking animal bones or processing vegetal materials as well. Howev...
In prehistoric human populations, technologies played a fundamental role in the acquisition of different resources and are represented in the main daily living activities, such as with bone, wooden, and stone-tipped spears for hunting, and chipped-stone tools for butchering. Considering that paleoanthropologists and archeologists are focused on the...
Cleaning stone tool surfaces is a common procedure in lithic studies. The first step widely applied at any archaeological site (and/or at field laboratories) is the gross removal of sediment from the surfaces of artifacts. Lithic surface alterations due to mechanical action applied in wet or dry cleaning regimes have never been examined at a micros...
Cleaning stone tool surfaces is a common procedure in lithic studies. The first step widely applied at any archaeological site (and/or at field laboratories) is the gross removal of sediment from the surfaces of artifacts. Lithic surface alterations due to mechanical action applied in wet or dry cleaning regimes have never been examined at a micros...
Experimentation has always played an important role in archeology, in particular to create reference collections for use-wear studies. Different types of experiments can answer different questions; all types should therefore be combined to obtain a holistic view. In controlled experiments, some factors are tested, while the other factors are kept c...
Use-wear studies rely heavily on experiments and reference collections to infer the function of archeological artifacts. Sequential experiments, in particular, are necessary to understand how use-wear develops. Consequently, it is crucial to analyze the same location on the tool’s surface during the course of an experiment. Being able to relocate t...
Dental and artifact microwear analyses have a lot in common regarding the questions they address, their developmental history and their issues. However, few paleontologists and archeologists are aware of this, and even those who are, do not take into account most of the methodological insights from the other field. In this focus article, we briefly...
Common approaches within archaeological traceological studies harness life-like experimentation, which changes the sample surfaces through use, followed by comparison with wear-patterns on archaeological specimens (Marreiros et al., 2015). The coexistence of multiple variables and human variability in actualistic experiments makes quantification an...
Many archeologists are skeptical about the capabilities of use-wear analysis to infer on the function of archeological tools, mainly because the method is seen as subjective, not standardized and not reproducible. Quantitative methods in particular have been developed and applied to address these issues. However, the importance of equipment, acquis...
Definitions and details on the properties of objectives, magnification and resolution.
Descriptions of ISO 25178-2 parameters and ISO 4287 Ra.
Raw data, and RStudio project, R markdown scripts and HTML outputs of the statistical procedures.
All files are available on Zenodo (DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2594755).
Values of ISO 25178-2 parameters on the flint and quartzite samples (1st sheet), and of ISO 4287 Ra parameter on the roughness standard (2nd sheet). Units are given in the 3rd sheet.
Descriptive statistics of ISO 25178-2 parameters from both objectives on the flint and quartzite samples (1st sheet), and of ISO 4287 Ra parameter on the roughness standard (2nd sheet). n = sample size, min = minimum, max = maximum, SD = standard deviation.
Python script and results of the Bayesian Multi-factor ANOVA.
All files are available on Zenodo (DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2594746).
PDF export of the results of the ConfoMap template applied to all analyzed surfaces. Editable *.mnt files (which include the unprocessed surfaces) are available on Zenodo (DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1479117).
Definitions and details on the properties of objectives, magnification and resolution.
Raw data, and RStudio project, R markdown scripts and HTML outputs of the statistical procedures.
All files are available on Zenodo (DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2594755).
Descriptions of ISO 25178-2 parameters and ISO 4287 Ra.
Python script and results of the Bayesian Multi-factor ANOVA.
All files are available on Zenodo (DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2594746).
Values of ISO 25178-2 parameters on the flint and quartzite samples (1st sheet), and of ISO 4287 Ra parameter on the roughness standard (2nd sheet). Units are given in the 3rd sheet.
Descriptive statistics of ISO 25178-2 parameters from both objectives on the flint and quartzite samples (1st sheet), and of ISO 4287 Ra parameter on the roughness standard (2nd sheet). n = sample size, min = minimum, max = maximum, SD = standard deviation.
Video of the procedure to adhere the beads onto the sample. The video has been accelerated for convenience; the whole procedure was performed in approximately 2 min and 12 s.
Step-by-step instructions for the coordinate system function.
PDF export of the results of the ConfoMap template applied to all analyzed surfaces. Editable *.mnt files (which include the unprocessed surfaces) are available on Zenodo (DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1479072)
Descriptions of the ISO 25178-2 parameters applied to all surfaces.
[The original file is in XLSX format but it is not allowed on RG. Feel free to ask for the raw data, or download them from Springer at https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12520-019-00801-y]
Descriptive statistics of ISO 25178-2 parameters on both microscopes. n = sample size, min = minimum, max = maximum, SD = standard deviation.
Raw data, and R markdown scripts and HTML outputs of the statistical procedures.
All files are available on Zenodo (DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2578975).
Values of ISO 25178-2 parameters and X/Y shifts for each surface.
Common approaches within archaeological use-wear studies harness life-like experimentation, which changes the sample surfaces through use, followed by comparison with wear-patterns on archaeological specimens. The coexistence of multiple variables and human variability in actualistic experiments makes quantification and interpretation of results ch...
Interpreting how tool production and use might have varied through time and space is one of the main research areas for investigating the evolution of human behavior, for which functional studies are of major importance.
From the current state-of-the-art in use-wear analysis, researchers rely on experimental replication of past potential uses in or...
Investigating how artifacts were produced and used in the past by humans is one of the key research areas in the study of human behavioral evolution. Although use-wear studies have shown promising results, a lot of criticism has been raised regarding standardization and reproducibility.
Here we focus on three aspects of data acquisition and analysi...
Understanding artifact variability, and especially the role of different raw materials and their possible use by past humans, is one of the most debated topics in Pleistocene archaeo logy. Functional studies are critical to determine artifact use, and thus to address fundamental questions about the evolution of human behaviour. The new Laboratory f...
The use of aqueous foams in conservation has received limited attention both in the literature and in practice. Foams can be generated by incorporating a suitable surface-active agent into an aqueous phase and subsequently introducing a gas phase into the system. Foams minimize surface tension effects. This has advantages for the application of cle...
Projects
Projects (3)
The Laboratory for Traceology and Controlled Experiments (TraCEr) runs under the research umbrella of the MONREPOS Archaeological Research Centre and Museum for Human Behavioural Evolution, namely, understanding the evolution of our behaviour during the early history of humanity.
In Pleistocene Archaeology, interpreting artefact variability in the archaeological record has long been one of the most debated topics, mainly related to different types of raw materials and their possible use by past humans. In fact, to what uses humans put their tools and how these might have varied through time and space is one of the key areas of research for understanding the evolution of human behaviour. The very presence of diverse types of materials in artefacts assemblages shows that humans managed different resources and, therefore, technology was characterized by the production of different tools made from materials with different properties.
Functional studies are of major importance in order to determine and understand artefact use, and thus to address fundamental questions about the evolution of human behaviour. The main scope of TraCEr is to carry ground-breaking functional studies that combine 1) methodological development and 2) fundamental research on Pleistocene and Early Holocene archaeology.
