Quern

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Querns are stone hand mills used for grinding grain or corn. This complete quern, consisting of upper and lower stones, was found near Netherton of Comisty in Aberdeenshire. It was used sometime between 200 BC and 800 AD. This picture shows the upper stone.

The grain was fed in through the central hole of the quern. When the stones were turned, by placing a handle in the hollow, the grain was crushed and pushed to the edge of the stone.

The earliest type of quern, the saddle quern, was used from around 3800 BC. In the late centuries BC, it was replaced by the more efficient rotary quern. Rotary querns occur in various shapes and sizes. They were used in Scotland until this century.

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• Online ID: 000-100-104-733-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.BB 139
• Date: 200 BC - 800 AD
  Between 200 BC and 800 AD
  
• Material: Stone
  Quern, rotary
  
• Dimensions:
• What: Quern, rotary
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Aberdeenshire, Netherton of Comisty
  
• Event:
• Description: Upper and lower stones of a rotary quern, from near Netherton of Comisty, Aberdeenshire, 200 BC - 800 AD
  
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