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GRINDSTONE
Unique ID: PUBLIC-FC060E
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
A grinding stone or pestle of uncertain date, sub-circular in plan, a narrow oval in profile and section. Made from a greywacke sandstone beach cobble from the Crackington Formation dating from of the Upper Carboniferous age (332 to 290 million years BP). There is a shallow, linear scar in the centre of the dorsal face, at an angle of 45 degrees from the medial line and 30mm in length may be contemporary with its use or later plough damage. A shorter, deeper scar near the distal end may also be the result of plough damage.
The distal end of the cobble has been broken off to form a flat, oval surface, 60mm long and 30mm wide which may have been used for pounding or grinding. The cobble appears to be otherwise unmodified.
The perimeter of the oval 'pounding' surface is undamaged, apart from a very slight scar, probably plough damage, originating from the centre of its boundary with the ventral surface. This suggests that the tool was used for grinding or pounding rather than as a hammerstone. The surface of the stone is grey-brown grading to pale grey in colour. The dorsal surface is mottled with patches of red-brown iron carbonate staining.
A pestle with a flattened base that has been utilised, found in a roundhouse at Scarcewater dating from the Middle Bronze Age, is illustrated in Jones and Taylor (2010) on page 122, fig.60, no.230.
Notes:
The Crackington Formation is composed of interbeddded sandstone, shale and siltstone.
However, more specifically they can be referred to as Greywacke. These sandstones are characterised by a content (10%) of sand grains composed of earlier rocks and a high content (20%) of clayey matrix cementing the dominant quartz sand content (66%). There is also about 4% of iron carbonate which might account for the rusty spots as it breaks down quite easily on weathering. Greywackes are characteristically tough rocks and quite suited for mace heads and hammerstones (Roger Taylor pers comm).
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: BRONZE AGE
Subperiod from: Early
Period from: BRONZE AGE
Subperiod to: Late
Period to: BRONZE AGE
Date from: Circa 2300 BC
Date to: Circa 800 BC
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 109 mm
Width: 100 mm
Thickness: 40 mm
Weight: 683 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Wednesday 1st January 2003 - Wednesday 31st December 2003
Personal details
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Other reference numbers
Other reference: SM.GS1
Materials and construction
Primary material: Stone
Manufacture method: Ground/polished
Completeness: Complete
Spatial metadata
Region: South West (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Cornwall (Unitary Authority)
District: Cornwall (Unitary Authority)
Parish or ward: Kilkhampton (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: SS2010
Four figure Latitude: 50.86141959
Four figure longitude: -4.55906907
1:25K map: SS2010
1:10K map: SS21SW
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jones, A.M. and Taylor, S.R. | 2010 | Scarcewater, Pennance, Cornwall: Archaeological excavation of a Bronze Age and Roman Landscape | Oxford | Archaeopress | 122, fig.60 | no.230 |
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Timeline of associated dates
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