Morphology meets lithic function: Use-wear and residue analysis of stone tools from the Dadiwan site in Northwestern China

Abstract

Morphological classification of stone tools has long been used to study functions. While this approach has practical merit, ethnographical research often suggests a weak relationship between morphology and function. However, the actual functions of stone tools are still understudied in Chinese archaeology. This study addresses this gap by applying use-wear and starch residue analyses to investigate the functions of grinding implements and stone axes from Phase I (7800–7300 cal. BP) and Phase II (6500–5900 cal. BP) of the Dadiwan site. We find that the sampled grinding stones were used to process both plant and non-plant materials. In addition, our study shows that stone axes were used not only in woodworking but also in processing starchy plants, including millets, tubers, and other wild cereals. We discuss the implications of utilizing stone axes in these tasks within the context of gendered labor roles and caution against relying solely on presumed tool functions for inferring gendered labor organization. Our findings highlight the issues embedded in the archaeological classification of stone tools and in using them for uncritical interpretations. Hence, a more rigorous approach is necessary to understand the fluidity of tool uses.