MOTnews 9 (10/11/2000)

The windmill... Western or eastern invention?

Not so long ago we were convinced that the windmill was invented in the East and brought back to our regions by the crusaders, nevertheless the truth tells us otherwise.

The force of wind was already used for milling in Persia and Afghanistan, but this only concerned the so called horizontal windmills. The windmills as you can still see them here are vertical windmills, that were never used in the East.

The oldest known mentioning of windmills in Palestinia is subscribed to a soldier in the third crusade under Richard Lionheart (indeed: Robin Hood's King). He describes the amazement and shock of the Arabs when they saw the windmill the crusaders were building. This report dates from 1190 en the first mentioning of a windmill in the West of Europe dates from 1183 and is to be found in Wormhout, in the late county of Flanders.

Taken this into account, we can say that 'our own' windmill was invented locally.

TRUE OR FALSE

In some watermills the wheel turns clockwise twice a day as well as counterclockwise two times a day.

You can read the answer in the next MOT-NEWS.

ANSWER to TRUE OR FALSE in MOT-NEWS 8

In water- and windmills you can grind the grain between two big round stones that each weigh about a ton, the milling stones. When working only one of the two stones actually moves.

TRUE

In water- and windmills the milling stones are two round flat stones that each weigh about a ton. the bottom stone, the one that doesn't move is named 'ligger' and the moving stone on top af that is the 'runner'.

It is exactly this circular movement of one stone on top of the other that is responsable for the milling of the grain, nevertheless the stones do not touch one another.

KIDS-NEWS something to tell your children tonight. Kneeding

The kneeding of dough by hand is hard work, especially for ryebread, wheat was a luxury grain, used only for the riches. The ryeflour was so heavy it was kneeded using the feet. You were presumed to wash your feet on forehand, but you weren't allowed to use soap, because this would alter the taste of the dough.

You can see pictures of this 'feet kneeding' on the murals of the old farao's graves and it was still used in your grandparent's time.

Do you know any other 'old techniques' -freaks ? Send this on to someone you think is interested.