The TeCh-Coast project – “Technological Choices of Coastal populations: A functional perspective through the use-wear study of knapped lithic tools during the Late Mesolithic (6300-4500 cal BC) in southern Norway” – is a Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions postdoctoral project (MSCA-PF-2023) that focus on the use of knapped stone tools and the technological traditions of Mesolithic coastal groups in southeast Norway. The project is led by Jorge Calvo-Gómez, who is a MSCA postdoctoral researcher at the Museum of Cultural History (KHM), and co-supervised by Professor Almut Schülke and Associate Professor Inger Marie Berg-Hansen (KHM).
During the summer, an experimental program was carried out in collaboration with Morten Kutschera and Alexis Pantos, aiming to reconstruct the processing of fish resources, especially cod, during the Late Mesolithic period (c. 6400–4500 cal BC) in Norway.
Surprisingly Sufficient for Skinning Elks
Later, in October and November, the project shifted its focus to the processing of large terrestrial mammals. In collaboration with Finn Audun Grøndahl, conservator at the Randsfjordmuseet, the research team organized an extensive experimental program during the elk-hunting season.
Over four weeks, we worked closely with six hunting teams operating in the Gausdal Vestfjell area. All participants showed strong interest in the project and agreed to use the same types of replica tools previously employed for cod filleting—this time for skinning elk. It was particularly striking to observe their reactions during the experiments, as many hunters were positively surprised by the efficiency of the flint knives. In total, seven tools were used to skin eight elks.
Analyzing Wear Patterns
Since November, J. Calvo-Gómez has been undertaking a research stay at the TraCEr laboratory (Laboratory for Traceology and Controlled Experiment) at the Monrepos Museum (LEIZA) in Neuwied, Germany. The objective is to analyze the microscopic wear on the experimental tools—both those used for cod processing and those used for elk skinning—using a Laser Scanning Microscope (LSM). This technique not only allows detailed observation of microscopic traces, but also enables quantitative measurement of the surface microtopography, making it possible to identify measurable differences in wear patterns related to different worked materials (fish vs. terrestrial mammals).
The application of confocal microscopy to the specific challenge of detecting ichthyofauna processing is a novel methodological approach. Ultimately, these new data will be essential for improving our understanding of the technological choices made by coastal communities during the Late Mesolithic in southern Norway.