Heat-affected rocks are a prevalent feature at archaeological sites worldwide throughout prehistory. Depending on the context, heated rocks can offer important insights on, for example, tool production, culinary techniques, rituals, hygienic practices, or social organization. In her book, Fire-Cracked Rock Analysis: A Guide to Function, Cooking and Interpretation, Fernanda Neubauer provides a thorough and comprehensive literature review on the analysis of heat-affected rocks. This extensive review equips readers with a wealth of knowledge, making it an invaluable resource and introduction for students and professionals new to the field. With this volume, Neubauer presents the first comprehensive manual for the study of heated rocks, providing an essential and long-awaited guide to the subject. The book adeptly introduces key concepts in the field, such as the thermal properties of rocks, the effects of heat alterations, and the main differences between intentionally and naturally heated rocks. This introduction provides solid foundation for those new to the topic. However, some aspects of the book warrant critique. As described below, topics such as unintentional heating are treated somewhat superficially, leaving readers in want of a more thorough discussion. Furthermore, Neubauer’s use of the term ‘fire-cracked rocks’ to describe all heat-altered rocks may be contentious as it diverges from established interpretations in the field. Despite these limitations, the book provides an accessible starting point for those engaging with fire-cracked rock analysis.

Chapters 1 to 4 establish the foundational framework of the book and provide a comprehensive literature review on various aspects of research into heat-affected rocks. Chapter 1 serves as a quick overview of the topic and of the organization of the following chapters and provides a good introduction to the manual. Chapter 2 explores the development of human fire use, particularly emphasizing the unintentional (natural) heating of rocks. Chapter 3 offers an overview of the properties of various rock types and includes an extensive list of attributes associated with heated rocks. Each attribute is complemented with photographs. The chapter ends with a list of characteristics that can be used in fire-cracked rock analysis. The list serves as a summary of the attributes described and illustrated in the chapter. It would prove to be a productive tool when recording thermally altered rocks in the field or laboratory. Chapter 4 examines ethnographic, ethnohistoric, and experimental studies concerning the uses of fire-cracked rocks. This comprehensive literature review includes important topics such as early fire use (e.g. Brain & Sillen, Reference Brain and Sillen1988; Alperson-Afil, Reference Alperson-Afil2017), experimental results from various contexts (e.g. House & Smith, Reference House, Smith, Schiffer and House1975; Bellomo, Reference Bellomo1993; Backhouse & Johnson, Reference Backhouse and Johnson2007), micromorphological approaches (e.g. Berna et al., Reference Berna, Goldberg, Horwitz, Brink, Holt, Bamford and Chazan2012) and heat treatment of rocks (e.g. Dománski & Webb, Reference Dománski and Webb2007). However, the text seldom steps back to offer the author’s distinct perspectives on the subject.

In Chapters 5 and 6, Neubauer presents two case studies based on her original research. Chapter 5 focuses on the potential of fire-cracked rock and related features such as hearths and earth ovens to inform culinary archaeology. This chapter draws on material from three archaeological sites in Michigan, United States, and Neubauer demonstrates how the morphology of rocks on these sites suggests a preference for open hearths, earth ovens, or using heated rocks to boil food at each site. Lipid residue analyses further reveal inter-site variations in the types of food prepared and consumed. Chapter 6 delves into the technology and life cycle of fire-cracked rocks, with examples from case studies in Brazil and the United States. This discussion highlights the diverse applications and recycling of heat-altered rocks, illustrating the intricate lifecycle of artefacts within archaeological contexts.

Terms such as ‘fire-cracked’, ‘thermally altered’, and ‘heat-affected’ are commonly used to describe rocks exposed to heat and, consequently, altered to varying degrees. Neubauer expands on this terminology in Table 1.1. On page 3, she advocates using ‘fire-cracked rock’ as a collective term for this category of artefacts, arguing that it appears to be the most widely adopted term in archaeological literature. From this reader’s perspective, however, ‘fire-cracked’ represents a descriptive subcategory within the broader classifications of heat-affected or thermally altered rocks. ‘Fire-cracked’, furthermore, has different connotations in different contexts. A fire-cracked cooking stone, for example, implies successful and repeated intentional use. On the other hand, cracks in a core could mean lack of control during heat treatment. While the decision to adopt a consistent collective term for heated rocks is both practical and reasonable, Neubauer’s discussion of the associated terminology could have been further elaborated within the text.

Furthermore, Neubauer categorizes fire-cracked rock as a type of lithic material, a classification that she acknowledges (p. 25) is specific and not universally accepted among specialists. Traditionally, many scholars define lithics as encompassing chipped stone tools or debitage and Neubauer has previously received negative feedback on this definition (see her elaboration on p. 25). However, Neubauer defends her position by highlighting the multifunctionality of artefacts, providing examples in Chapter 6, where hammerstones are repurposed as cooking stones. While this perspective is both novel and thought-provoking, Neubauer’s discussion of this classification remains insufficiently elaborated in the text. I hope to find a more thorough discussion in her future publications.

There are several potential uses of thermally altered rocks, and as such, the author must necessarily select specific functions for discussion. In Chapter 4, Neubauer focuses on cooking, sweat lodges, and portable stone lamps. The descriptions are concise yet include essential information and references within the overview. A similar approach is adopted in Chapter 3, where the thermal properties of rocks, use alteration, and other related topics are briefly addressed. While these descriptions are adequate for providing a foundational understanding of the concepts, especially for students, I find myself wishing for a more in-depth exploration of the topics covered. For example, the variations in discolourations and reddening, or fractures in different rock types, are important when analysing potentially heat-altered rocks. A discussion of each of these properties is relatively broad and would warrant a dedicated chapter in its own right, but such a thorough analysis might not be feasible and, realistically, quite beyond the scope of an introductory manual on the subject.

The case studies in Chapters 5 and 6 are both insightful and valuable. These chapters offer a practical application of the methodology for fire-cracked rock analysis proposed in Chapter 3, which could serve as a valuable guide for similar studies. Chapter 6 concludes with a three-page (pp. 237–40) overview of future directions for analysing fire-cracked rocks. However, this overview addresses only a tiny portion of their potential discussed earlier in the book. As a result, the reader is left seeking a more comprehensive treatment of the subject. A more detailed discussion on the future directions for analysing fire-cracked rocks, including potential research areas and methodologies, would provide a more comprehensive treatment of the subject and guide future research in the field.

In conclusion, this book provides a comprehensive overview of the key literature on thermally altered rocks and introduces fundamental concepts within the field. It not only serves as a valuable resource for students and professionals who are new to the topic but also as a reference collection for future use in the field and the laboratory. Its comprehensive coverage and detailed insights make it a reliable guide for anyone interested in fire-cracked rock analysis.