Grinding Stones and Indigenous Lithic Food-Processing Technology in Supare-Akoko, Nigeria: A Study of Material Knowledge, Maintenance, and the Transition of Praxis

Grinding stones (okuta lilọ) represent one of the most resilient yet overlooked indigenous technologies in West Africa. While archaeological literature has traditionally focused on prehistoric lithics, this paper examines a living lithic knowledge system in Supare-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria. Drawing on research initiated in 2021 under Geeceetee International and continued through 2025 under Ahujesu Enterprise, the study documents the technical sequence of stone selection and the ergonomic principles governing everyday use. The paper argues that the endangerment of this technology is not caused by scarcity of raw materials, but by a rupture in the intergenerational transmission of tacit maintenance skills. By incorporating linguistic nuance and gendered patterns of labor, the paper provides a comprehensive record of a disappearing material knowledge system central to Akoko-Yoruba foodways