The study of ancient craftsmanship requires a solid knowledge of the technology employed in the workshops. Our first source of data for the reconstruction of these technologies is provided by analysis of tool traces recorded on artefacts’ surfaces. Selection of appropriate techniques of observation and recording of the technical data, adapted to the morphology and size of the tool traces, is crucial. A large quantity of digital pictures and videos can be obtained directly in the field with ultraportable devices such as the digital microscope. However, although the digital microscope is perfectly appropriate to perform a first examination of the macro-traces at low magnification, more accurate methods of observation are also required. Complementary use of tribological analyses via interferometry enable us not only to obtain precise images and measurements of the macro-traces’ topography and morphology, and also micro-traces that cannot be detected with the digital microscope.
