Ground Stone Use-Wear Digital Reference Materials

Images of experimentally generated use-wear: wild grass seed processing on a variety of basalt and sandstone mortars and grinding slabs

This collection of photomicrographs and photographs is posted on tDAR to facilitate data sharing and comparisons between different experimental use-wear programs. The images can also function as a teaching aid, or as a supplemental resource for use-wear analysis of ground stone. Images were created as part of the following project: Formal models of Traditional Milling Tool Design, NSF award 1452079, Tammy Buonasera, PI, University of Arizona. This resource was posted online largely through the efforts of Kayla Worthy (University of Arizona). Natasha Rapp (University of Arizona) helped to record use-wear.

Please use appropriate citations when using these images.

Other Keywords
Groundstone • Experimental Archaeology • Use Wear Analysis • Ground Stone • Ground-stone • Use-wear

Investigation Types
Methodology, Theory, or Synthesis

Material Types
Ground Stone

Resources Inside This Collection (Viewing 1-15 of 15)

  1. All ground stone tool sets: Information about the images of experimental use-wear contained in this project (2018)
  2. Basalt/andesite - 1. Tool sets before use (photos) (2018)
  3. Basalt/andesite - 2. Natural, unused surfaces (photomicrographs) (2018)
  4. Basalt/andesite - 3. Pecked surfaces before use (photomicrographs) (2018)
  5. Basalt/andesite - 4. Shallow basin grinding slab and handstone after processing Indian ricegrass, 2h and 4h (photos and photomicrographs) (2018)
  6. Basalt/andesite - 5. Shallow mortar and pestle after processing Indian ricegrass, 2h and 4h (photos and photomicrographs) (2018)
  7. Basalt/andesite - 6. Deep conic mortar and pestle after processing Indian ricegrass, 2h and 4h (photos and photomicrographs) (2018)
  8. Basalt/andesite - 7. Deep bowl mortar and pestle after processing Indian ricegrass, 2h and 4h (photos and photomicrographs) (2018)
  9. Basalt/andesite - 8. Unshaped flat grinding slab and handstone after processing Indian ricegrass, 2h and 4h (photos and photomicrographs) (2018)
  10. Sandstone - 1. Tool sets before use (photos) (2018)
  11. Sandstone - 2. Natural, unused surfaces (photomicrographs) (2018)
  12. Sandstone - 3. Pecked surfaces before use (photomicrographs) (2018)
  13. Sandstone - 4. Shallow basin grinding slab and handstone after processing Indian ricegrass, 2h and 4h (photos and photomicrographs) (2018)
  14. Sandstone - 5. Shallow mortar and pestle after processing Indian ricegrass, 2h and 4h (photos and photomicrographs) (2018)
  15. Sandstone - 6. Unshaped flat grinding slab and handstone after processing Indian ricegrass, 2h (photos) (2018)