Two faces of warrior elite. Stone wrist-guardsand wrist-guard-like artefacts

•Bell Beaker wrist-guards and later wrist-guard-like artefacts analysed using use-wear analysis, and measurements of chemicals.•Comparison data of 35 wrist-guards from burial ground in Central Europe.•Scratches by metals on the wrist-guard surface.•Possible bow-string wear on cc-shaped wrist-guards revealed.