Pronunciation: [kwˈɜːnz] (IPA) 
The word "querns" is spelled with a "q" and "u" followed by "e," "r," "n," and "s." In IPA phonetic transcription, it is pronounced as /kwəːnz/. The word refers to ancient grinding stones used to grind grains into flour. While the spelling may seem unusual, it is necessary to distinguish it from other similar-sounding words. The use of the letter "q" is common in English words of Latin or French origin, such as "quiche" or "quorum."
Querns, also known as hand mills, are primitive stone tools used for grinding grains into flour or meal. Historically, querns were widely used in many parts of the world as an essential tool for processing food before the advent of modern milling techniques. The term "quern" is derived from the Old English word "cweorn," which means "mill."
These mills consist of two basic components: a lower stone, referred to as the "quern," and an upper stone, known as the "handstone" or "rider." They are typically made of hard stones, such as granite, basalt, or sandstone, which are chosen for their durability and ability to grind grains effectively.
To use a quern, the grain is placed between the two stones, and then the handstone is rotated or moved back and forth over the quern. The friction between the stones grinds the grain into smaller particles, creating flour or meal in the process. The resulting product can vary in texture, ranging from coarse to fine, depending on the desired outcome.
Querns played a crucial role in the daily lives of ancient communities, enabling them to process grains into staple foods like bread, porridge, or soup. Their simplicity and efficiency made them indispensable tools in early civilizations. However, their usage declined with the invention of mechanized mills during the Industrial Revolution, leading to the adoption of more advanced milling techniques. Nevertheless, querns remain significant artifacts for archaeological study and are still used in some traditional and historical reenactment contexts today.
The word "querns" is derived from Old English "cweorn" or "cwyrn", which referred to a hand-mill used for grinding grain. The Old English word itself can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word "kwernaz". This word ultimately comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "*gʷerǝ-" meaning "to grind". The use of querns dates back to ancient times and was commonly used before the invention of the more advanced water mills and windmills.
