The grind never stops: An experimental investigation on the handstones in the lower Yangtze River region during the Neolithic Age

Abstract

Grinding stones, as specialized lithic tools for grinding and smoothing, exhibit diverse forms and functions, facilitating a wide range of production tasks. While research on ground stones has traditionally focused on processing tools, manufacturing tools–such as handstones from the Neolithic sites of the Lower Yangtze River region in China–remain underexplored. These hand-held grinding stones played a significant yet often overlooked role in various production activities, including the processing of stone, wood/bamboo, bone, and clay, which were key materials for toolmaking and construction in Neolithic societies. This study uses experimental archaeology and use-wear analysis to investigate grinding activities on stone, wood/bamboo, clay and bone in the Neolithic Lower Yangtze River region. Experiments reveal that use-wear traces produced by these materials are significantly different. The lithology of the handstone, the properties of the worked material, and its moisture content all influenced use-wear formation. By establishing a reference use-wear dataset for handstone and highlighting underrepresented processing behaviors, this research aims to deepen our understanding of Neolithic production systems and lifeways.