The role of silica in Polish formation

Paleolithic human exploitation of plant foods during the last glacial maximum in North China

“…Previous research, using PVS on usewear patterns from grinding stones in China (10,14,15) and other parts of the world (16)(17)(18)(19) established valuable reference data for the study of ancient tools. In recent years, we have also conducted a series of experimental studies on grinding stones (20) to produce references for processing seeds, tubers, nuts, wooden objects, minerals, shells, and stone implements.…”

Microwear and Metric Analysis of Threshing Sledge Flints from Greece and Cyprus

“…One thing to note from the outset is that certain threshing traces can be observed macroscopically: initial battering followed by severe rounding of an edge, and the accumulation of gloss or polish (on the issue of how such gloss forms see Meeks et al, 1982;AndersonGerfaud, 1988;Fullagar, 1991). However, there are certain activities other than threshing, such as cutting grass stems, that can approximate threshing wear.…”

Driving forces for the weathering and alteration of silica in the regolith: Implications for studies of prehistoric flint tools

“…This arrangement clearly points to the "worked" surfaces being indurated and probably resilicified. Such polishing features with a protective silica 'varnish' that is resistant to weathering are known on a variety of siliceous rocks used by prehistoric peoples (Fisk, 1971;Fullagar, 1991;Hamon, 2003;Howard, 1994;Nouel, 1961;Pope and Miranda, 1999). Archaeologists have generally considered these surface varnishes to have formed from plant phytoliths and to be indicative of the grinding of plant products by prehistoric peoples.…”