Kriimustused

Kriimustused (plural of kriimustus) is an Estonian term meaning scratches or scratch marks produced on surfaces by mechanical abrasion. The word is derived from kriimustada, to scratch, and the suffix -us/-used to form nouns. Kriimustused can appear on a wide range of materials, including natural surfaces such as stone, wood, and bone, as well as man-made materials like metal, glass, plastic, or ceramics.

These marks vary in depth, width, direction, and pattern. They may be linear, curved, crosshatched, or irregular, depending on the tool, force, and surface. Causes include routine wear, handling, vandalism, weathering, or deliberate engraving and etching by humans or animals.

In disciplines such as archaeology and art conservation, kriimustused are studied to infer past techniques and handling histories; tool-mark analysis compares scratches against known tools. In conservation, identifying the sequence and cause helps determine appropriate treatment; in forensics, scratches may provide evidence of contact or tampering.

Prevention and management: protective coatings, careful handling, controlled environments reduce new kriimustused. When present, documentation and non-destructive imaging help preserve information.

Kriimustused are part of everyday surface processes and, in professional contexts, serve as data about material history.