ABSTRACT
Well-formed grinding slabs and mortars only begin to appear with any frequency in the Late Epipalaeolithic of the Levant, especially the Natufian. What does this technological change represent? Is this the first indication of cereal use? Is it the first indication of flour and bread production? Is it a response to increases in aridity or population pressure? Is it possibly related to the development of special cuisines or even brewing? In the following discussion, we hope to shed some light on these issues.
