Use-wear analysis of plant processing in the Mesolithic and Neolithic of south-east of France: The contribution of ethnography

The functional analysis of knapped stone tools produced by the last hunter-gatherers (during the 7th and the beginning of 6th millennium B.C.) and the first farmers (beginning of 6th millennium B.C.) in the south-east of France shows a diversity of plant working (taxa and gesture). Both groups used tools with notched edges shaped by pressure or percussion for plant scraping. The use-wear performed on these tools shows the contact on a medium rigid, fresh, lightly siliceous plant but not abrasive. The contact angle of the motion is quite low. The morphological standardization of the concave used zone, as well as the type of worked material and motion can be interpreted as a specialisation of these tools for a particular task. This kind of tools could be involved in many different chaines operatoires linked to plant working. Among them, we choose to focus on basketry. Investigations of today’s practices were conducted among two basket makers of the south of France (PACA region). We observed the ways of collecting, processing and weaving four different species of plants to manufacture baskets and fish traps (Juncus Maritimus Lam., Arundo Donax L., Myrtus Communis L., Salix Viminalis L.) and one species to only weave baskets (Castanea Sativa Mill.). This study allowed us to better understand the different treatments each species needs and the types of tools and gestures used for. Some of these activities were reproduced experimentally using flint tools similar to the archaeological ones to complete the study. By blending ethnographic and experimental activities, we had the opportunity to better understand the archeological data and produce new hypothesis on its meaning.