Hamon, Caroline
New Perspectives on Querns in Neolithic Societies
Since the time of the first Neolithic societies, humans have processed the corn of the crops into flour by means of querns. Domestication and breeding of animals as well as cultivation and processing of crops constitute the basis of agrarian living. Initially within the past fifteen years, fundamental aspects of plant processing could be clarified. Research on grinding stones and hones contributes to the understanding and knowledge of Neolithic forms of economy and social organisation. Recent more or less regional studies provide new data that enable conclusions on exchange systems of raw materials, of economic basics and on the social and symbolic meaning of grinding stones.
The articles published in this issue result from a conference held in September 2007 at the 13th annual meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists (EAA) in Zadar (Croatia).
The essays show that a global overview of querns contributes significantly to the interpretation of status and function of a settlement site.
