Low power microwear studies performed during my 1996 CAA research has proven diagnostic microwear patterns. These sketches of microwear account for the differences in wear patterns and their interpretations. These use-wear patterns are observable at the macroscpic and microscopic level, in some cases. Macrowear is wear that is observable by the naked eye, whereas microwear is wear viewable with magnification only. Some stone tools, such as retouched flakes, are chipped in such a way that their wear and flake scars are viewable without magnification.
Utilized flakes are tools with less prominent use-wear scars.
These wear patterns are better observed at the 30X and higher magnification. Microwear evaluation on stone flake tools at 30X was performed during phase 1 experiments, proving that diagnostic wear patterns can be found on replica flakes. Artifact examination at 30X has led to the identification of wear patterns and speculative feature use. Low-power evaluation was chosen because of time allocation and the need to conform with phase 1 wear pattern illustrations. Also, the need for high power magnification was found on tools exhibiting polish or striations only, tools used by people practicing an expedient technology do not exhibit extensive wear patterns.