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The Millstone's Twins: How Do They Work Together?
Grinding stones, as ancient tools, have gone through thousands of years and still play an important role in various cultures. The design of these stones has been carefully explored and consists primarily of a stationary base stone and a rotating grinding stone, each part has its own unique function and is able to work together to achieve the best grinding effect.
The working principle of the grinding stone is to create a "scissors"-like force between them through the stillness of the base stone and the rotation of the grinding stone to grind the grain into powder.
The grindstone consists of two main parts: the base stone (or "lower grindstone") and the grindstone (or "upper grindstone"). The base stone has a raised edge, while the millstone is concave, and as the millstone spins, the grain is trapped between the two, causing it to be crushed. This design allows the grinding stone to effectively guide the powder to the edge for collection during the processing of ingredients.
Historical background of grinding stones
Whiststones are widely considered to be one of the "oldest industries," with origins dating back to the Paleolithic Age. As early as 60,000 years ago, Australia's Aboriginal people began to use grinding stones to grind various foods. The use of grindstones has been throughout human history, and with the development of agriculture, it further played its important function.
In many cultures, the existence of grinding stones is not limited to the grinding of food, but is also closely related to human life, especially the daily cooking and food preparation processes of many families.
Working collaboration on grindstone
How do grinding stones work together? First, the design of the grindstones allows them to work together, and the weight of the stone itself aids the grinding process. When operating the grindstone, the user can feel the stability of the base stone and the dynamic balance of the grindstone. This balancing feature allows the user to apply force more easily and maintain a continuous flow of grain during grinding.
The structure of the grinding stone not only takes into account the grinding effect, but also the user's operation method, so that every grinding can achieve consistent quality.
Grinding technology around the world
Whetstones are designed and used in different ways across cultures. Taking India as an example, local grindstones usually consist of two sword-shaped stone pillars and are ground manually or driven by animals. In Mexico, the role of grinding stones is even more special, and women are often the main ones responsible for daily use, from grinding corn to making traditional tortillas, which still exist today.
The progress of modern grinding stones
With the advancement of science and technology, although the use of traditional grinding stones has gradually decreased, there are still many places around the world that maintain this ancient technology. Especially in some rural areas, traditional grindstones are not only essential kitchen utensils at home, but also a symbol of culture and history. In some places, millstones have even become a way to express respect for ancestors, reflecting people's cherishment of the past.
From ancient times to the present, the twin partners of millstones have played an irreplaceable role in people's lives. Whether it is the inheritance of culture or the need for daily food processing, their working mode still reminds us of the stories behind the food.
The term grindstone is more than a simple tool. It carries a long cultural history and human love for food. As modern technology continues to advance, can we continue to maintain our passion for this traditional skill and find a new role for grindstones in the future?
