INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDY OF NEOLITHIC-EARLY BRONZE AGE MACRO TOOLS (BASED ON GRINDING STONES FROM GEORGIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM)

Abstract

Grinding stone is one of the leading tools for agricultural purposes, the relevance of which is proven by many archeological sites of different chronologies. The purpose of the present article is to determine the role of grinding stones in ancient farming using various interdisciplinary methods such as typology, petrography, use-wear analysis and palynology.

            Grinding stones were selected for the research, which were found in the Neolithic-Early Bronze Age archeological sites in Eastern Georgia (Gadachrili Gora, Shulaveri Gora, Imiri Gora, and Kvatskhelebi). The artifacts to be studied are preserved in the archeological collections of the National Museum of Georgia.

At first, a typological classification and comparative analysis of grinding stones was done; Later, the tool raw material was identified by the petrographic analysis; Through the functional analysis of the artifacts, we found out the purpose of the tool; Using palynology, it was determined what kind of organic remains were on the working surface of the artifact.

            As a result of the study of querns and grinders, tools with two different working surfaces were identified, for the manufacture of which eight different raw material were used. Functional analysis determined the use of tools for plant process, and palynological analysis confirmed the plant species.

Key words: grinding stone; typology; petrography; use-wear analysis; palynology;