Combined approaches of techno-functional and use-wear analysis indicated diverse reuse behaviors of polished bevelled stone tools of Zoumaling site (5500–3900 cal BP), central China

Although research on ground stone tools has increasingly embraced multidisciplinary approaches over the years, studies on polished stone axes and adzes still lack deeper and dynamic analysis. This paper presents a study of the function and reuse of polished bevelled stone tools from Zoumaling, a walled-town Neolithic Site in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. Through the combination of the two approaches of techno-functional and use-wear analysis, we conclude that the polished bevelled stone tools here are highly used for woodworking, along with processing other objects of medium to high hardness and vegetal materials, demonstrating a flexible strategy. Two different types of reuse—modification and repair—were applied, indicating stable consciousness of reuse and focus on balancing efficiency and cost in tool maintenance. The ancient humans here had clear planning, skilled production techniques, flexible use and diverse reuse behaviours for polished bevelled stone tools.