An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c11.s19.t1.2

v1.c11.s19.t1.2

Incomplete specimens of saddle querns with slightly concave surfaces are known from the Mesolithic sites of BAGOR and LANGHNAJ; Sankalia believes that the LANGHNAJ specimens were meant for preparing colours and not for grinding grain. Later they occur in the pre-Harappa and Harappa cultures, Chalcolithic cultures of c. India [4.14.5] and the Deccan [4.14.6] and Neolithic cultures of s. [4.6.8-10] and e. [4.6.6] India. They survive into the historical period and are still used in rural areas. Their base is generally irregular; hence it has been suggested that at sites like Harappa they were partly sunk into the ground and then used. In some cases the sides as well as the upper surface appear to have been shaped by flaking and pecking. They are usually elongated oval in overall shape, but round, square and rectangular examples also occur at sites like NAVDATOLI. The upper (i.e. working) surface is either flat or concave; in the latter case the depression has a maximum depth of about 15 cm. Some of the large examples like the ones found on the Neolithic hill-settlements of s. India are 50 to 60 cm long and 35 cm broad.