Quern Collection

Sun-wheel on a Celtic quern, Ireland
Sun-wheel carved on a quern, a primative grinding-stone, Ireland. Hand-colored halftone reproduction of a 19th-century photograph

The Quern (engraving)
3629719 The Quern (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Quern. Illustration from The Book of Days (W R Chambers, c 1870)

Grinding with the Quern (engraving)
3653651 Grinding with the Quern (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Grinding with the Quern)

Implements of the Stone Age (litho)
6013467 Implements of the Stone Age (litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Implements of the Stone Age)

The Silchester Excavations (b / w photo)
1599007 The Silchester Excavations (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Silchester Excavations)

SCOTTISH HAND-MILL C18
A Scottish handmill (2-part Quern) used for grinding up small quantities of corn. Date: 1769

Grinding Corn With a Saddle Quern, Co. Antrim - a view of an old lady sitting outside grinding corn with a stone. (Location: Northern Ireland; County Antrim). Date: circa early 1900s

Algeria - Biskra - Nomadic Encampment. Date: circa 1906

Roman Rotary Quern
A Rotary Quern used by the Romans for grinding corn. A number were found intact at the bakery in Pompeii

Egyptian woman grinding corn using a saddle quern. Egyptian tomb figure c 2, 500 BC. Photograph c1910

Grinding wheat - Deir Mar Yaqoub Monastery, Qara, Syria
Two seated Women grind wheat using a rotary hand quern at Deir Mar Yaqoub, a monastery dedicated to Saint Jacob near Qara, Syria. Date: circa 1910s

Corn Rubber Or Saddle Quern, Co. Antrim - a close in view of the saddle quern. (Location: Northern Ireland; County Antrim). Date: circa early 1900s

Primitive Method of Grinding Corn With Quern on Inishmurray Island - a man outside building with stone and small shaft. (Location: Republic of Ireland: County Sligo: Inishmurray Island)

Esben-El-Ekiad / Egypt
Esbet-el-Ekiad - Land of the Goshen. Date: 1904

Grinding Corn, Orkneys
A girl of the Orkney Islands grinds corn by hand with a stone quern Date: 1905

Grinding tool and red iron rocks ??used for the traditional skin cream of the Himba, Omuramba, Kaokoland, Kunene, Namibia

China - Mule-powered Rotary grain mill - Village Community
China - Mule-powered Rotary grain mill - Rural village Community Date: circa 1910s

Rotary hand quern for grinding corn - Palestine, Middle East. Date: circa 1920s

Mapuche Girl grinding toasted wheat - Southern Chile
Mapuche Girl grinding toasted wheat on a quern stone - Southern Chile. Date: circa 1910s

Hawaii, USA - Making Poi - Staple food from the Taro Plant
Hawaii, USA - Making Poi. Primary Polynesian staple food mad fom the underground stem of the Taro Plant - known in Hawaii as Kalo. Date: circa 1910s

India - Ghati Women Grinding Corn Date: circa 1907

Israel - Women grind corn with a handmill
Women working with a rotary quernstone handmill to grind corn - Israel - at thsi stage under Ottoman control. Date: circa 1908

Israel - Local millers of Corn
Local millers of Corn working with hand-powered rotary querns in Jerusalem, Israel - at this period under Ottoman control Date: circa 1903

Roman Grape Press / Mdina
Two Roman grape presses (one complete with grinding stones) at the Mdina Museum

Rotary Quern Milling
Chinese worker grinds corn using a hand-powered rotary quern, a form of industrial machinery in use since late prehistoric times

Qumran caves, Israel, Middle East

Grinding Corn Ethiopia
An Ethiopian woman uses a saddle quern to grind corn

First Grinding Mill
The First Grinding Mill - Quern

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The quern, a timeless tool used for grinding grains, has left its mark on various cultures throughout history. From the sun-wheel adorned Celtic quern in Ireland to the saddle querns of Co. Antrim, this ancient device played a vital role in food preparation. Engravings depicting the use of the quern showcase its importance and widespread usage. Whether it was grinding corn or wheat, people relied on this simple yet effective tool to transform raw ingredients into nourishing sustenance. Implements of the Stone Age provide evidence of early humans utilizing the quern as they navigated through their primitive existence. The Silchester Excavations unearthed remnants of this essential tool, shedding light on our ancestors' resourcefulness. In Scotland during the 18th century, hand-mills became prevalent as an improved version of the traditional quern. This innovation allowed for more efficient grain processing and highlighted humanity's continuous quest for advancement. Across borders and continents, from Qara in Syria to Inishmurray Island in Ireland, communities embraced the primitive method of grinding corn with a quern. These diverse locations demonstrate how this humble instrument transcended cultural boundaries and united people through shared practices. Even Egypt's Esben-El-Ekiad bears witness to the significance of this age-old technique. As civilizations evolved and flourished along the Nile River, so did their reliance on these stone grinders for sustenance. Today, we marvel at these relics from our past that remind us not only of our ingenuity but also our connection to those who came before us. The images captured by photographers serve as visual testaments to human resilience and adaptability throughout time. The story told by each photograph speaks volumes about humanity's unwavering determination to nourish themselves using whatever means available. The sight of individuals laboring over their trusty querns serves as a reminder that even amidst technological advancements; some traditions withstand centuries without losing their essence.