Ground stone technology for processing starchy plant foods has its origins in the late Pleistocene, with subsequent intensification and transformation of this technology coinciding with the global emergence of agriculture in the early Holocene. On the island of New Guinea, agriculture first emerges in the highland Wahgi Valley, potentially from c. 9 kya, and clearly evident by 6.5 kya. Approximately 400 km further east in the highland Ivane Valley, long-term occupation sequences span the Holocene and late Pleistocene, but there is currently no direct evidence for wetland agriculture. Here, we report rare evidence for ground stone implements from a secure mid-Holocene archaeological context in the Ivane Valley. The Joe’s Garden site has flaked and ground stone artefacts with significant starch assemblages dating to approximately 4.4 kya. We present the first empirical evidence for the function of stone bowls from a New Guinea highland setting. Usewear and residues indicate the grinding and pounding of endemic starch-rich plant foods. Geometric morphometric analysis of starch grains shows that at least two taxa were processed: Castanopsis acuminatissima (nut) and Pueraria lobata (tuber). This regional example adds to our understanding of the trajectories of diverse plant food exploitation and ground stone technology development witnessed globally in the Holocene.

中文翻译：

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薄片和磨碎石制品的功能研究揭示了新世中期新几内亚高地淀粉树坚果和根的开发

用于加工淀粉类植物性食物的磨石技术起源于更新世晚期，随后该技术的强化和转化与全新世早期农业在全球的出现相吻合。在新几内亚岛上，农业首先出现在高地瓦吉山谷，可能来自公元前。9 kya，6.5 kya 明显。在伊万山谷以东约 400 公里的高地，长期占领序列跨越全新世和晚更新世，但目前没有湿地农业的直接证据。在这里，我们报告了来自伊万谷安全的全新世中期考古环境的磨石工具的罕见证据。乔的花园遗址有片状和磨碎的石制品，其中含有大量可追溯到大约 4.4 kya 的淀粉组合。我们提供了来自新几内亚高原环境的石碗功能的第一个经验证据。使用磨损和残留物表明地方性富含淀粉的植物性食物被研磨和捣碎。淀粉粒的几何形态计量分析表明，至少加工了两种分类群：Castanopsis acuminatissima（坚果）和葛根（块茎）。这个区域性例子加深了我们对全新世全球目睹的各种植物性食物开发和磨石技术发展轨迹的理解。Castanopsis acuminatissima（坚果）和Pueraria lobata（块茎）。这个区域性例子加深了我们对全新世全球目睹的各种植物性食物开发和磨石技术发展轨迹的理解。Castanopsis acuminatissima（坚果）和Pueraria lobata（块茎）。这个区域性例子增加了我们对全新世全球目睹的各种植物性食物开发和磨石技术发展轨迹的理解。