Sandstone Ground Stone Technology: a Multi-level Use Wear and Residue Approach to Investigate the Function of Pounding and Grinding Tools

E Cristiani,A Zupancich

doi:10.1007/s10816-020-09488-1

E Cristiani, A Zupancich

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10816-020-09488-1

Copy DOI

Abstract

Ground stone tool (GST) technology includes artefacts utilized in pounding or grinding activities and characterized by long life cycles and multiple uses. The introduction of such technology dates back to early prehistory, and for this reason, it is used as prime evidence for tackling a wide range of archaeological questions such as the origins of technology, patterns of daily subsistence and lifeways. In this paper, we contribute to the field of study of GSTs by discussing the application of a novel multi-level analytical approach combining use wear and residue observations at low and high magnification with residue spatial distribution investigated using GIS. We aim to assess the potential of a combined use wear and residue approach to (1) discriminate specific gestures and worked materials on sandstone GSTs and (2) understand the potential of residue distributions for reconstructing ancient GST functions and, more specifically, the role of GSTs recovered at Mesolithic sites of the Danube Gorges region in the Central Balkans. We identified diagnostic surface modifications associated with the use of GSTs in different activities involving both animal and plant materials. Morphological characteristics of residues have been described under reflected and transmitted light and characterized using biochemical staining. Finally, we mapped residues across the utilized surfaces of experimental tools to link patterns of residue spatial distribution to specific materials and gestures. We expect our methodological approach will be taken up by other researchers in order to produce comparable datasets on GSTs and improve our understanding of their ancient functional biographies.

Highlights

Ground stone tools ( GSTs) are non-flint tools used in grinding, pounding, abrading, pecking and polishing of vegetal, animal and mineral materials (Adams 2014; de Beaune 2004; Dubreuil et al 2015; Dubreuil and Savage 2014), generally characterized by long functional histories (Dubreuil et al 2015; Dubreuil and Savage 2014)
This paper presents the results of a combined qualitative and quantitative analysis on experimental GSTs with a twofold aim: (1) improving the methodology of functional analysis of sandstone GSTs with a particular focus on the Cristiani and Zupancich identification of specific use wear and residues, and (2) reconstructing ancient functional biographies of the Mesolithic GSTs recovered in the Danube Gorges region of the Central Balkans (Antonović et al 2006; Borić et al 2014)
Experimental GST replicas have been used for processing animal and vegetal matters, and we provide a qualitative assessment of use wear and residues observed at low and high magnification on their surfaces

Summary

Introduction

Ground stone tools ( GSTs) are non-flint tools used in grinding, pounding, abrading, pecking and polishing of vegetal, animal and mineral materials (Adams 2014; de Beaune 2004; Dubreuil et al 2015; Dubreuil and Savage 2014), generally characterized by long functional histories (Dubreuil et al 2015; Dubreuil and Savage 2014). Questions about paleo diet and the role of carbohydrate-rich foods in ancient foragers’ subsistence have been investigated through the analysis of GSTs in the Near East (Dietrich et al 2019; Dietrich and Haibt 2020; Dubreuil and Nadel 2015; Piperno et al 2004), Europe (Aranguren et al 2007; Lippi et al 2015; Revedin et al 2010), China (Li et al 2019, 2020; Liu et al 2017) and Africa (Barton et al 2018; Lucarini et al 2016; Lucarini and Radini 2019) Such familiarity with plant foods and GST technology extends to the oldest archaeological inoccupation of Australia (Fullagar et al 2015, 2017; Hayes et al 2018; Pardoe et al 2019). Socio-cultural changes associated with the introduction of agriculture and craftsmanship as well as social organization of labour and the emergence of socio-economic inequality have recently been explored through the study of GST functional biographies (Adams 2014; Belfer-Cohen and Hovers 2005; Dietrich et al 2019; Dubreuil et al 2015; Dubreuil and Plisson 2010; Hamon 2008; Rosenberg 2008; Stroulia 2003; Wright 2014)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion