Object of the Preposition

The object of the preposition is the noun or gerund phrase that follows a preposition.

Plenty of peaches were spread on the floor around the makeshift altar.

In this sentence there are three prepositional phrases:

In each of these prespositional phrases the object of the preposition is the final noun.

Note: if the object of the preposition is a pronoun, that pronoun should always take the object case.

The object of a preposition could be a gerund phrase also:

Without delving further into the matter, the angel decided to let the man flagellate himself of his own free will.

In this sentence there are two prepositional phrases (the first is a gerund phrase; the second takes a noun):