Open Access

Julius Mayer, Laura Dietrich, Christoph von Tycowicz

• Grinding stones are widely distributed across prehistoric contexts, yet linking their use to specific processing strategies and food products remains challenging. This study introduces a methodological approach that combines extended experimental replication with computational shape analysis to investigate the long-term morphological change in grinding tools. Focusing on the Early Neolithic site of Göbekli Tepe (9600-8000 BC), we analyze one of the earliest large-scale assemblages of grinding stones associated with cereal processing. Experimental produced replicas of original handstones made of basaltic rocks were used to process einkorn under controlled grinding motions, generating coarse and fine flour through contrasting movement and pressure regimes. Successive wear states were captured using high-resolution photogrammetry and reconstructed as three-dimensional models, allowing cumulative deformation trajectories to be quantified and compared. The results demonstrate that long-term shape alteration reflects consistent patterns linked to grinding behavior and product characteristics. The proposed framework extends functional interpretation beyond surface wear alone and offers a transferable analytical model applicable to other tool classes and archaeological contexts, supporting comparative and computational studies of food-processing technologies in cultural heritage research.