Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia, 90(3), September 2007 
700 1 
600 - 
500 - 
I 400 - 
^ 300 - 
i 
200 - 
100 - 
O Afghan Rock 
□ Boat Hole 
A Camel Soak 
X Djungari 
— Pool Paddock 
X Taincrow 
O dished grindstone 
+ flat grindstone 
A 
0 
A 
□ 
A 
T 
1 
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 
length (mm) 
Figure 7. Length and width of grinding patches found around Cue and of the grinding area on some portable grindstones measured 
by Gunn & Webb (2002, 2003, 2006). 
Table 2 
Dimensions in millimetres of portable grindstones, and their 
grinding areas, recorded at sites around Cue (Gunn & Webb 
2002:91, 2003:87). Tine bifacial stone marked by * has a dish 
ground into the flat grinding area on one side. 
type 
host L X W X D 
gmdg L X W X D 
unifacial, flat 
330 X 260 X 70 
150 X 140 X <1 
unifacial, flat 
400 X 280 X 190 
350 X 280 X <1 
unifacial, flat 
430 X 260 X 90 
260 X 120 X <1 
unifacial, flat 
250 X 140 X 70 
200 X 70 X <1 
unifacial, flat 
250 X 180 X 80 
230 X 180 X <1 
unifacial, flat 
260 X 230 X 75 
180 X 180 X <1 
unifacial, flat 
210 X 150 X 70 
160 X 130 X <1 
unifacial, flat 
420 X 240 X 75 
340 X 170 X <1 
unifacial, flat 
440 X 370 X 50 
200 X 100 X <1 
unifacial, flat 
200 X 200 X 50 
140 X 90 X <1 
unifacial, well-used 
165 X 135 X 60 
150 X 110 x<l 
unifacial, dished 
350 X 210 X 100 
200 X 180 X <1 
unifacial, dished 
330 X 150 x 55 
240 X >80 X <1 
unifacial, dble dish 
510 X 340 X 60 
390 X 100 x 40 
dish 2 
360 X 80 X 20 
trimd bifacial, dish 
380 X 350 X 70 
210 X 140 X 10 
'reverse', dished 
140 X no X 10 
bifacial, dished 
270 X 220 X 80 
260 X 210 X 1.5 
'reverse', flat 
160x 130x<l 
‘bifacial, flat/dish 
340 X 300 X 90 
220x210x<l 
'reverse', flat 
240 X 200 X <1 
Discussion 
There appears to be a north-south divide within 
Western Australia in some aspects of Aboriginal culture 
that is reflected in rock art and the occurrence of grinding 
patches on bedrock. Almost all the grinding patches on 
the site register maintained by the Department of 
Indigenous Affairs (DIA) were found in the northern half 
of the State: the Pilbara, Kimberley and Great Sandy 
Desert (Figure 8). While the rock art made in northern 
and southern Western Australia is also different 
(Davidson 1952), as discussed further below. This 
discussion explores the occurrence of grinding patches in 
relation to geology, the cultural evidence for a north- 
south divide, the association of grinding patches and 
rock art, and whether grass seeds were ground on 
specialised grindstones. 
Grinding patches and bedrock geology 
The DIA on-line database of site information was 
searched for sites where grinding had been reported, to 
provide a context for the sites just described. The 
database does not, unfortunately, discriminate between 
axe grinding grooves, grindstones, grinding patches on 
bedrock and burley holes (depressions in which shellfish 
were crushed into fish bait). Tlie type of grinding can 
only be ascertained by studying the file of information 
on each site. 1 have only studied the files on the 30 sites 
where grinding has been reported in the southern half of 
Western Australia. I have also visited many of those sites 
during two site verification projects for the South West 
120 
