Quandong stones: A specialised Australian nut-cracking tool

Area of Science:

• Archaeology
• Ethnobotany
• Material Culture Studies

Background:

• The quandong (Santalum acuminatum R.Br.), or native peach, is a significant food source for Aboriginal Australians in arid and semi-arid regions of southern Australia.
• Quandong fruit is consumed raw or dried, and kernels are used raw or processed into paste for medicinal and skincare applications.
• The Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) has limited native stone sources, leading to the documented multi-purpose use of ground stone implements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate ground stone implements from the Murray-Darling Basin.
• To identify and characterize specialized tools for processing quandong nuts.
• To analyze use-wear and residues on potential quandong processing tools.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 1,327 ground stone implements from 12 locations within the MDB.
• Identification of a distinct class of single-purpose stones with multiple pits and specific forms.
• Use-wear and residue analysis on four identified quandong stones and two other ground stone items.

Main Results:

• A distinct type of ground stone implement, specifically designed for cracking quandong nuts, was identified.
• These specialized tools, termed 'quandong stones,' feature multiple pits and a distinctive form.
• Analysis confirmed their function as anvil stones for the efficient cracking of quandong nuts, despite the scarcity of stone in the MDB.

Conclusions:

• Ground stone implements in the MDB reveal specialized tool use beyond multi-purpose functions.
• The identified quandong stones represent a sophisticated adaptation for processing a key indigenous food resource.
• This finding highlights the technological ingenuity of Aboriginal Australians in resource utilization within challenging environments.