Cut above the rest : a multi-disciplinary study of two slate knives from forager contexts in coastal Norway

Slate was a prominent tool material in the Scandinavian Stone Age. However, details of tool function have relied on morphology and have added little to our understanding of their role in hunting and processing. Here, we demonstrate that it is possible to identify both the use-wear traces and residues from slate knives from northern Norway. By applying a multi-disciplinary approach incorporating experimentation, use-wear and organic residue analyses, we identified residues, including seal hair, and use-traces which indicate the tools were used to process fresh marine mammals.