Zagorodnyaya O.N., Stepanova K.N.

Key words: functional attribution, microtraceology, experimental approach, reference collection, non-modificated stone tools.
In functional attribution of ancient tools, microtraceology is usually used for flint artifacts, and macrotraceology for tools of granular rock. The present article analyzes the use of microtraceology for tools made of granular and crystalline rock. The study is based on type assemblages of tools; part of the experiments has been conducted by the authors (fig. 1). The results confirm the potential of the method, revealing changes in the surface of the tools and allowing to identify some of the materials they were applied to (figs. 2–4). The method has certain limitations which are related to the nature of the initial raw materials.