Runner Stone Vessel Sculpture

Simply shaped with an elegant form, this large limestone vessel is actually a runner stone, a key component to a traditional Chinese grain mill. Set atop an extensively carved mill stone, the runner stone was harnessed to a donkey or mule that pulled the runner in a circular motion across the bottom mill stone. With repeated rotations, the heavy weight of the stone was used to grind a variety of grains into flour. This early 20th century runner stone was likely originally covered in a pattern of grooves, but frequent use has worn down the surface to the smooth texture it has today. Despite its functional origins, the stone lives on as a piece of sculpture, a piece of history tucked away in the garden.