cut marks
Blade traces remain
Cut marks are scratches or incisions on a surface, typically bone, left by a cutting tool.
In archaeology and forensics, cut marks help determine whether bones were processed by humans or animals—butchering leaves distinctive patterns that reveal tool type and technique.
The term also appears in printing, where cut marks indicate where paper should be trimmed.
- scratchesShallow marks from abrasion
- incisionsCuts made deliberately
- butcherySavage killing
- bonesRigid internal support structure
- knifeSharp cutting utensil
blade · striations · flint · stone tools · defleshing · slicing · grooves · bone surface · forensic · evidence · anthropology · scraping · carcass · skinning · meat · meat processing · prehistoric · excavation