11.14 Fragment of a ground stone disc

Although the technique of stone grinding is generally associated with the Neolithic, it had already been developed at the beginning of the Upper Palaeolithic. At the Gravettian sites in Moravia, mudstone slabs were ground into special stone discs with a central perforated opening.

At the Pavlov I site these have been preserved only as fragments, but they have been discovered whole at Předmostí or the Brno 2 grave. Their function remains unknown, but they have generally been ascribed a ritual or symbolic meaning. The regularity of the ground surfaces and perforated openings are testimony, in any case, to a mastery of technique and a high level of technology.

Material: stone – mudstone

Dimensions (diameter): 160 mm

Exhibit type: copy of original (plaster)

Archaeological site: Pavlov I (Pavlov near Dolní Věstonice, Moravia)

Collection: Institute of Archaeology of the CAS, Brno v.v.i., Czech Republic

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11.14 Fragment of a ground stone disc