With some of the richest history in the pre-hispanic era, the metate as it is called in Mexico today has been used for thousands of years as the traditional way of creating and appreciating every ingredient grinded the Mesoamerican cultures including the Mayans and Aztecs would mix, effectively pouring their heart and soul within each meal. Perfect for grinding together corn, cacao, nuts, seeds, cheese, grains, and an assortment of ingredients for all food of all recipes and cultures. Manual grinding of the hand or 'mano' against the metate is all it takes to collect the fruits of your labor, leaving your finished product done with a sense of pride and appreciation. Brings an authentic piece of truly ancient and vital history in pre-hispanic cuisine right to your kitchen. Before culinary use, the metate should be seasoned by grinding curing ingredients such as but not limited to uncooked rice and white bread against the the metate and both sides of the metlapil to fill the crevices of the lavarock. This item includes 1 lavastone metate with metlapil. Metate measures 12" x 10.5" x 8"