tpo 33 integrated

The main idea of both the reading and the lecture is about carved stone balls from Neolithic period. In this regard, the author provides three theories about the purposes and meaning of these stone balls. However, the lecturer categorically refutes all the three theories mentioned in the passage and argues that none of them are convincing.
First, both the text and the talk discuss the idea of using carved balls in hunting or fighting. In this vein, it is stated in the reading that because of the holes and grooves on the surface of the stone balls, it can be hypothesized that these balls could have been used for fighting. However, the lecturer rejects this idea, mentioning that common Neolithic weapon like arrowhead showed signs of wear. Accordingly, she explained that since those tools were used for fights, they were damaged and they had broken pieces or cracks. However, these stone balls were are completely well-preserved and there are no damage or wear on them, proving that they could not be used for fighting or hunting.
Second, both the author and the lecturer put forth the idea of primitive system of weights and measure. In this regard, the passage asserts that because these stone balls are uniform in size, they could have been used for standard measurement units. On the other hand, the lecturer opposes this hypothesis, explaining that these stone balls are uniform in size, but their mass varies considerably. The difference in mass, according to the lecturer, is because of the different types of stone used in them like quart Sid, sandstone, and green stone which vary in their mass. Hence, some of them could be heavier than others; like a handful of feather which weighs less than a handful of rocks. As a result, it can be said that two stone with the same size can have different weights, proving the point that they could not be used for a standard weight system.
Third, both the reading and the listening materials put forth the idea of social purpose. While the passage points out that the more interacted the stone was, the higher social class of its owner, the lecturer stands at the other side of the extreme. According to the lecturer, the carved stone balls could not be used as a social marker and the evidence is inconsistent. While some of the stone balls are extremely intricate, says the lecturer, other are way too simple to show the social status of its owner. Moreover, it is well-known that in those era, when high-ranked people died, they would have been buried with their possessions. However, no carved stone balls were found in graves and tombs.