ConfoMap - Tool function experiment

The dataset results from an experiment called "tool function experiment" conducted at TraCEr Laboratory for Traceology and Controlled Experiments. The goal of this sequential experiment was to test tool performance of Late Middle Palaeolithic Keilmesser by examining two relevant aspects concerning their edge design: the raw material and the edge angle. To do so, a controlled, mechanical setup was used. The samples and the contact material were standardised to limit the number of confounding factors. As tasks, unidirectional cutting and carving movements have been performed.

One element of assessing the tool performance of each experimental standard sample was the penetration depth measured on the contact material. Thus, after the experiment, the contact material was documented with a Sensofar S wide (Sensofar Metrology, Spain), a 3D optical metrology system. Based on the data acquired with the S wide and processed in ConfoMap (a derivative of MountainsMap Imaging Topography), the depth and the width of the cuts and scratches were quantified (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7564605).

In total, two templates have been used in ConfoMap:

1) "Patch surfaces of the bone plates acquired with the Sensofar S-wide"

An initial template was needed to patch the single quadrants together, so that the grooves are complete again. This involves levelling and aligning. Afterwards, each groove can be exported individually.

2) "Processing on single grooves"

This template extracts the topography layer of the grooves and calculates a mean profile of a series of 30 profiles. After levelling the mean profiles, the height and the width of each groove can be calculated.

Details about the experiment and the data acquisition with the Sensofar S-wide can also be found on