The article talks about what is a millstone, why this device is needed and whether it is used in our time.
Ancient times
Agriculture has been known to people since ancient times. Our ancestors quickly realized that it is much more profitable to grow the same wheat than to be content with its wild sprouts. Of course, they did not reach this immediately, because agriculture implies a sedentary lifestyle.
Wheat and its relatives are useful in that they contain both carbohydrates and a sufficient amount of protein, which determines their nutritional value. Of course, for a long time, the wheat was eaten either raw or steamed, but at some point, flour was obtained from it using a millstone. So what is a millstone and are they applied now? This we will understand.
Definition
According to the encyclopedia, a millstone is a paired stone circle into which grain is poured. And when it is rotated, the latter is ground into flour. They can also be made of wood, but with inserts of metal or other harder material to facilitate the grinding process.
The very first millstones were set in motion by muscular strength, and the process of making flour was long and laborious. So now we know what a millstone is. Later, to speed up and facilitate the process, a belt drive and large mills were invented that could turn a very large amount of grain into flour. So now we know what a millstone is.
Mills
Mills could be very different, wind, water and mechanical, where the millstones were driven by draft animals or special workers.
Wind farms were built on the hills, where the wind often blew. And water - at the river with a fast and strong current. This method was more productive, since the work was not dependent on weather conditions, and even in winter people cut ice to keep the water wheel moving. Also, analyzing the question of what is a millstone, it is worth mentioning the designs, the work of which was provided by animals: horses, bulls and others.
Nowadays
Now millstones as such are almost never used; on an industrial scale, flour is ground in special drums. Nevertheless, such devices can be found in some remote corners of the planet where there is no electricity or technology is very poorly developed.
By the way, millstones are used not only for wheat flour, it can be made from many cereals - corn, rye, barley, etc.
Now we know what millstones are: the meaning of the word and the device of this device.