Breaking it down: Ethnographic studies on the manufacture of basalt grinding stones in India

In this study, we utilize the chaîne opératoire approach to examine the complex process of traditional manufacturing of basalt grinding stones in India. We examine decision-making processes related to knapping strategies beginning with the sourcing of basalt, the quarrying of appropriate blocks, and varied stages of knapping using indirect percussion with specialized iron chisels and hammers. We document the nature of waste products and the morphology of the grinding stone at various stages during this process. We compare this with ethnographic and archaeological data from Neolithic-Chalcolithic archaeological sites in India and globally where basalt grinding stones are noted, discussing variability like the lithic assemblages generated.