Holy Stone
Description
A piece of sandstone used for scrubbing a ship’s wooden decks. Scrubbing the decks was part of the morning routine. Done before breakfast, a line of sailors would work their way down the decks with these dampened sandstone blocks. Opinions differ as to how it received its name. It may have been because it was originally used for scrubbing decks on a Sunday, or because the easiest method of supply was by robbing church yards of their tombstones. The most likely explanation is because seamen had to use it on their hands and knees to get a good result. Large holystones were known as ‘Bibles’ while smaller ones for use in difficult corners were called ‘Prayer books.’
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Object Detail
Width: 70mm
Depth: 35mm (1 3/8")
Weight: (0.62kg)