Diamonds in the rough - reconsidering the scientific and heritage value of heat-altered stones in prehistoric archaeology through a systematic literature review

Abstract

Background Heat-altered stones (HAS) are commonly reported in prehistoric sites across several continents, yet they continue to be generally overlooked and systematic studies on them are scarce. Methods We performed a systematic literature review which consisted of searching journal articles, book chapters and books published in English, in Scopus and Web of Science. We collected information on their geographic distribution, chronology, composition, technological aspects and subsistence contexts from 73 records. Our aims were to assess the challenges and opportunities of analysing HAS, while highlighting that this class of artefacts is still largely an untapped source of information on prehistoric human activities. Results HAS have been documented since the Pleistocene, attesting that culinary and non-culinary activities using heating stones emerged among foraging groups subsisting on hunting, fishing and gathering. The high frequency of HAS during the middle and late Holocene testifies to the continuation of some practices over long time periods, amid the emergence of new food systems, and the introduction of new resources and technologies, such as domesticated plants and animals, and ceramic containers. A considerable lack of studies on HAS from Africa, Oceania, Asia, and South America was noted, all of which are key geographic areas for assessing the role of heating stones in human evolution, geographic dispersal, early cuisine and diet, and cultural transmission across the globe. Conclusions Our results highlight the persistent challenges archaeologists face in establishing fundamental definitions and diagnostic criteria for identifying HAS, while emphasizing the importance of HAS as essential elements for studying ancient foodways and cultural heritage. We call on archaeologists and cultural heritage managers to reconsider the heritage value of HAS and include them in specialised research agendas before significant knowledge of our past is lost.