Saddle Quern Stone
Birrens Roman Fort
This saddle quern stone, discovered near Birrens Roman Fort, was
used in the production of food.
The grains from cereal growing were ground into flour using
large saddle querns. A bun shaped upper stone was rubbed backwards
and forwards over the flat stone. The resulting flour was made into
a dough and baked on a flat stone on or beside a central hearth.
Sometimes bread may have been cooked by placing it under an
inverted pot and piling hot embers over it.