Recent advances in the functional study of stone technology have highlighted how, since the early Paleolithic, non-flaked stone tools were employed in a wide range of tasks, from food processing to craft activities. Non-flaked tools are documented within the stone assemblages of various Mesolithic sites of Italy. However, these tools are still poorly known and no analysis was ever conducted for investigating their use. In this study, we present the results of the functional study performed on Mesolithic non-flaked stone artefacts from Pradestel and Romagnano Loc III, two sites located in the Adige Valley of the Eastern Alpine region of Italy. This area yielded some of the best-known Mesolithic record in Europe, and significant evidence of forager lifeways between the second half of the 10th millennium cal BC and the beginning of the 6th millennium cal BC. Through the application of qualitative and quantitative functional analyses we were able to interpret residues and use wear from the processing of plant and animal materials, finally assessing the activities performed with non-flaked stones at both sites. Our data provide the first direct evidence of the role played by little modified pebbles in the daily life of the Mesolithic foragers of the Italian Eastern Alpine region, so far assumed only through indirect evidence.

石材技术功能研究的最新进展突显出，自早期的旧石器时代开始，非片状石材工具被用于从食品加工到工艺活动的广泛任务中。在意大利各种中石器时代遗址的石材组合中都记录了非片状工具。但是，这些工具仍然鲜为人知，并且从未进行过任何分析以调查其使用情况。在这项研究中，我们介绍了对位于意大利东部高山地区阿迪杰山谷的两个地点Pradestel和Romagnano Loc III的中石器非薄片状石制品进行的功能研究的结果。这个地区产生了一些欧洲最著名的中石器时代的唱片，以及公元前10世纪下半叶至公元前6世纪初之间觅食者生命周期的重要证据。通过定性和定量功能分析的应用，我们能够解释残留物并利用动植物材料加工中的磨损，最终评估了在两个地点使用非片状石材进行的活动。我们的数据提供了第一个直接证据，表明迄今为止，仅通过间接证据推测出少量修饰的卵石在意大利东部高山地区中石器时代的觅食者的日常生活中所起的作用。最后评估两个地点的非片状石头进行的活动。我们的数据提供了第一个直接证据，表明迄今为止，仅通过间接证据推测出少量修饰的卵石在意大利东部高山地区中石器时代的觅食者的日常生活中所起的作用。最后评估两个地点的非片状石头进行的活动。我们的数据提供了第一个直接证据，表明迄今为止，仅通过间接证据推测出少量修饰的卵石在意大利东部高山地区中石器时代的觅食者的日常生活中所起的作用。