Grinding and Abrading Activities in the Earlier Neolithic of Northern Greece

A Multi-Proxy and Comparative Approach for the Site of Pontokomi-Souloukia

Abstract

Despite their widespread presence and potential to shed light on various aspects of prehistoric life, for a long time Neolithic macrolithics attracted little scholarly attention. The situation, however, is rapidly changing as more and more assemblages are being studied and published systematically. The study of the grinding and abrading tools from the earlier Neolithic site of Pontokomi-Souloukia in northern Greece is part of this recent trend, as it integrates macroscopic examination, use wear, microbotanical and macrobotanical analysis, an experimental program, ethnographic data, as well as contextual analysis. In this article, we present the results of our study and make comparisons with other assemblages, placing the Pontokomi-Souloukia material in its wider Aegean Neolithic context.