  Hadron production in lepton-nucleus deep inelastic scattering is studied in
an absorption model. In the proposed model, the early stage of hadronization in
the nuclear medium is dominated by prehadron formation and absorption,
controlled by flavor-dependent formation lengths and absorption cross sections.
Computations for hadron multiplicity ratios are presented and compared with the
HERMES experimental data for pions, kaons, protons and antiprotons. The
mass-number dependence of hadron attenuation is shown to be sensitive to the
underlying hadronization dynamics. Contrary to common expectations for
absorption models, a leading term proportional to A^{2/3} is found. Deviations
from the leading behavior arise at large mass-numbers and large hadron
fractional momenta.
