Description

Summary: An incomplete Roman puddingstone beehive quern stone, dating to the period AD 1-150. It is domed in shape, like a beehive with a flat base which reflects the most wear (or glazing). It may have been imported from France. The stones used for the conglomerate are extremely hard and it would have been very difficult to use, but due to its tough exterior, it produced almost grit free flour, a much demanded product. French stones are earlier than the Hertfordshire products, and were in fact the basis of a whole industry, as it spread from the Haut of Normandie to Worms Heath in Surrey, and then to Hertfordshire. The object also fits French criteria by being rather large. The inclusions are very visible within its saccharoidal matrix with black, grey and brown cut pebbles. Found in Burbage in 2017.