Functional analyses on sandstone slabs from the submerged Mesolithic/Neolithic site of Neustadt LA 156 (Northern Germany)

We present the first techno-functional study on macrolithic tools from a late Mesolithic Ertebølle/ early Neolithic Funnel Beaker context: sandstone slabs from the submerged site Neustadt LA 156 (Northern Germany) have been investigated by a combined approach of use wear and residue analyses, including biochemical staining, FTIR and SEM/EDX. Checked against results from experiments with respective raw materials we reconstructed the use lifes of the slabs. The excellently preserved organic residues allow for high resolution reconstructions of the slab's functions. The unmodified, inconspicuous stones have been versatilely used as tools in different settlement activities otherwise archaeologically invisible. These include the processing of plant foods as well as of animal tissues for crafting technologies. For these tasks, slabs of specific qualities have been selected as revealed by raw material analyses. The study proves the high potential of macrolithic tools for the deciphering of daily activities in resource processing in a context of complex land use strategies at the transition to the Neolithic. With this, they provide another example of the high diversity of Mesolithic and early Neolithic land use strategies, especially evident in waterlogged sites.