Stone Mortar and Pestle

Early settlers in many parts of the world used stone tools now called mortar and pestle, or mano and metate, for grinding or husking grains. Stone mortar and pestle needed to be a pair to do their functions properly, but it has been usually pestles that archaeologists found in Jeju's archaeological sites. The mortars of Jeju feature relatively shallow depth, small size and round shape while the pestles have an extended oval form. Some of the pestles used only one end for the grinding while others used both ends. Stone mortar and pestle have been found in many sites across Jeju with a majority in the Gwakji shell mound site. Little similar relics have been found in the korean peninsula, revealing that they reflect the unique cultural features of Jeju.