Grindstone
Country
Australia
State/Province
Queensland
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Object detail
Description
Large sandstone grindstone
Classification
INDIGENOUS CULTURES Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander grindstone
Media/Materials description
sandstone
History and use
A grindstone is usually a large flat rock used alongside a suitable top stone, like a pounder or muller. The two tools were used to process food materials, such as grinding, cracking or crushing food and plant matter, or to grind materials such as ochre to create natural pigments.
The size and shape of grindstones varies. Grindstones are generally very heavy – some weighing more than 15kg – and were not convenient to move, so were often kept in areas where Aboriginal people lived and processed food. This large sandstone grindstone is well used, and was collected by Russell Butler, an Elder of the Bandjin and Warrgamay people of the Hinchinbrook Island region in the 1980s.
Russell Butler donated this grindstone, along with a selection of other items, to the Queensland Museum Network, for the inaugural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander exhibition held at the Museum of Tropical Queensland (2000-2005).
The size and shape of grindstones varies. Grindstones are generally very heavy – some weighing more than 15kg – and were not convenient to move, so were often kept in areas where Aboriginal people lived and processed food. This large sandstone grindstone is well used, and was collected by Russell Butler, an Elder of the Bandjin and Warrgamay people of the Hinchinbrook Island region in the 1980s.
Russell Butler donated this grindstone, along with a selection of other items, to the Queensland Museum Network, for the inaugural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander exhibition held at the Museum of Tropical Queensland (2000-2005).
Registration number
QE26639
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