It is necessary to access the oral forms of local histories often held in traditional African communities to help us understand the African past and avoid framing interpretations solely in terms of Western epistemologies. Ethnoarchaeological fieldwork was carried out in villages in the Gulo Makeda region of northeastern Tigrai, northern Ethiopia, where access to mechanical mills has only been available in the last few decades. Individuals in this area still have knowledge and memory of manufacturing, using and discarding grinding stones. Interviews were held with male advisors who shared their knowledge and expertise about the entire process of manufacturing grinding stones. To move beyond understanding just the technical aspects of grinding stone manufacturing (what and how), the theory and methods associated with the chaîne opératoire and design theory were incorporated into the research to allow discovery of intricate socio-economic interrelationships (how and why) that exist through grinding manufacture within this culture. Manufacturing offers opportunities for socialization, cooperation and community engagement. Through ethnoarchaeology it became clear that the manufacturing of grinding stones in northeastern Tigrai is a complex process requiring design decisions, skills, knowledge, and social interaction that builds interpersonal relationships. By arranging two separate manufacturing sessions, one with experts and one with non-experts, comparisons were made of technological and social differences between experts and non-experts. The individuals who are experts in manufacturing grinding stones made higher quality grinding stones than the non-experts. The experts are also afforded a special respect by others, as they are the creators of the technology “necessary for life” in a culture traditionally dependent on cereal flours for sustenance. Potentially this respect for experts could be true for the past as well. Since the grinding stone artifacts from Mezber are large stones, likely meant to produce significant amounts of flour, they would have been important to daily life. Those who manufactured these tools important for subsistence would likely have been considered important individuals in the community.

中文翻译：

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工作中的男人：埃塞俄比亚北部专家和其他人的磨石生产

有必要获取传统非洲社区中经常持有的当地历史的口头形式，以帮助我们了解非洲的过去，避免仅仅根据西方认识论来构建解释。在埃塞俄比亚北部 Tigrai 东北部的 Gulo Makeda 地区的村庄进行了民族考古实地工作，那里的机械磨坊是在过去几十年才可以使用的。这个领域的人仍然对制造、使用和丢弃磨石有知识和记忆。与男性顾问进行了访谈，他们分享了他们关于制造磨石的整个过程的知识和专业知识。超越仅仅了解磨石制造的技术方面（什么和如何），与 chaîne opératoire 和设计理论相关的理论和方法被纳入研究，以发现在这种文化中通过研磨制造存在的复杂的社会经济相互关系（如何以及为什么）。制造业为社会化、合作和社区参与提供了机会。通过民族考古学清楚地表明，在提格雷东北部制造磨石是一个复杂的过程，需要设计决策、技能、知识和建立人际关系的社会互动。通过安排两场独立的制造会议，一场由专家参加，一场由非专家参加，对专家和非专家之间的技术和社会差异进行了比较。制造磨石专家的个人比非专家制造的磨石质量更高。专家们也受到其他人的特别尊重，因为他们是传统上依赖谷物面粉为生的文化中“生命必需”技术的创造者。这种对专家的尊重可能也适用于过去。由于来自 Mezber 的磨石制品是大石头，可能意味着生产大量面粉，它们对日常生活很重要。那些制造这些对生存很重要的工具的人可能会被认为是社区中的重要人物。因为他们是传统上依赖谷物面粉为生的文化中“生活必需品”技术的创造者。这种对专家的尊重可能也适用于过去。由于来自 Mezber 的磨石制品是大石头，可能意味着生产大量面粉，它们对日常生活很重要。那些制造这些对生存很重要的工具的人可能会被认为是社区中的重要人物。因为他们是传统上依赖谷物面粉为生的文化中“生活必需品”技术的创造者。这种对专家的尊重可能也适用于过去。由于来自 Mezber 的磨石制品是大石头，可能意味着生产大量面粉，它们对日常生活很重要。那些制造这些对生存很重要的工具的人可能会被认为是社区中的重要人物。