WHAT IS THE METATE?

A ground-stone slab with a concave upper surface used as a lower millstone against which another stone is rubbed to grind vegetable material such as cereal grains, seeds, nuts, etc. A metate is one of a two-part milling apparatus – the other part being a mano (handheld upper grindstone). Metates are found in agricultural and pre-agricultural contexts over much of the world and are often made of volcanic rock in Mesoamerica. It is a Spanish term for a smoothed, usually immobile, stone with a concave upper surface and is mostly associated with the grinding of maize. It is a hallmark artifact in the definition of prehistoric subsistence patterns. [concave quern, grinding platform, lower grindstone, stone saddle quern]

WHAT IS THE GROUND STONE TOOL?

a class of lithic (stone) artifacts produced by abrasion – grinding or pecking – and formed into a tool or vessel. Granite, pumice, and steatite fall into this class. Manos, metates, mortars, and pestles are common ground stone artifacts. Ground stone tools used to crush, pound, grind, or otherwise process materials are also commonly referred to as milling implements