Grinding Stone

Tang Dynasty, China, 9th century CE

Marine Heritage Gallery, Jakarta

This grinding stone was recovered from the Belitung shipwreck site in the late 1990s. At that time, Indonesian law permitted the commercial survey and salvage of shipwrecks in its territorial waters, and it was under such an arrangement that some 60,000 objects were recovered from the site over two seasons in 1998-1999. After a long process of desalination (to remove the salt that had accumulated during 1100 years of being underwater) and conservation, most of these objects were sold to Singapore, where they are now on permanent display at the Asian Civilisations Museum. However, Indonesia retained some 7,000 objects, some of which are on display at the Marine Heritage Gallery in Jakarta.  

Tools such as this grinding stone speak to us of everyday life at sea, where sailors relied on self-sufficiency for survival. These grinding stones were essential for preparing food and herbal remedies, helping maintain crew health on long voyages. The ability to grind spices and herbs also suggests that food preparation was vital for coping with the harsh conditions at sea. These stones were versatile, used not only for everyday needs but also for ritual purposes, such as grinding natural pigments for religious ceremonies.

Grinding stones like these have been found in various historical sites in Indonesia, such as Borobudur Temple, Gunung Padang, and Prambanan. Similar variations are still used in Indonesian kitchens today, where they are known as cobek and ulekan (mortar and pestle).