The grinding wheel

Part of a matzevah – donated to the Museum by Stanisław Materniak who found it in 1999 during demolition work on a site which belonged to the Peasants' Self-Help Co-operative in Krosno. He writes: “The round shape intrigued me, so I removed the stone from the skip and took it home. I realized only later that the object was made out of a matzevah, and donated it to the Museum.” In all probability – given its circular shape and the square aperture in the middle allowing for the insertion of a spindle – it served as a sharpening stone for knives and tools. This was perhaps the most prevalent secondary use of headstones from Jewish cemeteries, desecrated during and after the Second World War. The legible part of the inscription: “[...] Efrat Learned and with a good heart Much loved by the people of[...] Cwi [C]elich | son of Mr. Natan Jaakow | Died on 11 Adar II in the year [5]687 [15.03.1927]”.