Gallo-Roman Quernstone

Fécamp, Seine-Maritime, France

Circa 2nd century BC - mid-4th century AD

Carved puddingstone

Diameter: 43 cm

Provenance

French private collection

Subsequently French art market, April 2023

Exported from France with cultural property passport 243418

The lower grinding stone from a late Iron Age, early Gallo-Roman quern - an aesthetic and powerful symbol of life two millennia ago.

Carved from puddingstone, an extremely beautiful and hard sedimentary rock named after its appearance of a fruit-filled cake. Formed of rounded flint pebbles embedded in a fine grained sandy matrix - the pebbles with a variety of beautiful hues ranging from pinks, reds, oranges and soft greys.

£25,000