The Calabria region of Southern Italy is rich in mineralisation. Unfortunately, no consistent data are available about mineral exploitation in the later prehistoric periods. The Grotta della Monaca mine in Calabria is a prehistoric site that is characterised by the mineralisation of iron ores (such as goethite) and copper carbonates (malachite and azurite). For this reason, the site provides an exceptional opportunity to study a prehistoric mine in which several minerals were exploited during the late Neolithic and early Chalcolithic. In this study, we present the results of an experimental protocol and use-wear analysis conducted using macro-lithic tool replicas to extract mineral resources. The experimental test aimed at reconstructing the function of grooved stone tools found at Grotta della Monaca. Use-wear observation, through a combined low- and high-power approach on experimental and archaeological objects, allowed us to define different extraction techniques and methods of mineral treatments. These data enhance our understanding and reconstruction of the chaîne opératoires, economic choices, and cultural aspects that characterised prehistoric miners in Southern Italy.

意大利南部的卡拉布里亚地区矿藏丰富。不幸的是，史前后期没有关于矿物开采的一致数据。卡拉布里亚的Grotta della Monaca矿山是一个史前遗址，其特征是铁矿石（例如针铁矿）和碳酸铜（孔雀石和蓝铜矿）的矿化作用。因此，该遗址提供了一个难得的机会来研究史前矿山，在新石器时代晚期和中古石器时代早期，在其中开采了几种矿物。在这项研究中，我们介绍了使用大型石器工具复制品提取矿产资源的实验方案和使用磨损分析的结果。实验测试旨在重建Grotta della Monaca发现的开槽石材工具的功能。使用磨损观察 通过对实验和考古物体进行低功率和高功率的组合方法，使我们能够定义不同的提取技术和矿物处理方法。这些数据增强了我们对意大利南部史前矿工的特色住宿，经济选择和文化方面。