Identification of Use-Wear Traces on Slotted Eyes of Palaeolithic Bone Needles Caused by Animal and Plant-Derived Threads: Discussion of the Results of Initial Experiments

Paleolithic needles are well known to the scientific community for their variety of models and practical applications. Needles with an eye attract attention not only because of the method of creating the eye but also due to the traces of wear that aid in their identification. Active experimental work on this topic is well-documented; however, the variability and incomplete reporting of protocols, as well as the subjective nature of result evaluation, prevent meaningful comparison and discussion. An important aspect of such studies is the technical means of recording results, which is not always available to researchers. This paper focuses on presenting a result of skin perforation experiments that has not been previously discussed in detail. The perforation was carried out using needles with a slit eye, equipped with threads of various origins – from tendons and hemp epidermis. These experiments were carried out separately, with the threads not being mixed during the trials. The relief formed on the surface of the hole of the tusk needle in both cases has clear features sufficient to identify the nature of the thread. It was necessary to register the condition of the eyes before the work began and upon its completion. The fixation was carried out at both macro and micro levels. Microscopic images provide greater illustration and convincing evidence. This observation is relevant for both experimental and archaeological materials. In conditions of prolonged deposition, the microrelief of the tusk surface can be preserved. Its study may be useful for addressing issues related to even short-term use wear of bone artifacts. Through the availability of micrographs obtained using a scanning electron microscope, it has become possible to analyze wear markers that previously received little attention from researchers, such as an “adhesive crust,” the features of abrasive zone morphology and topography, and the traces formed by threads of plant and animal origin. The results of the experiment include micrograph-supported conclusions indicating that wear is more pronounced when plant-based thread is used. These threads, even with a small number of perforating strokes, destroy the rough elements of the technical relief. An explanation for this phenomenon is proposed.