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Agate
millstone
A kind of revolving
turntable-like tool made of stone used for
grinding grain began to appear in the Ch'in
and Han dynasties. Later generations would
later call this a millstone. In general, a
mill made of stone is composed of a round
disc on top of a pedestal, the place where
they meet being engraved with a saw-tooth
pattern. The principle behind this mechanism
is to pour grain through a hole in the center
of the disc, which then enters the spaces
between the teeth below. When the disc is
turned in a circular motion, the grains are
crushed repeatedly into a fine powder.
The ancient Chinese believed
that consuming certain minerals could enhance
not only beauty but also divine insight. Consequently,
in addition to grinding grain in millstones,
they were also used for pulverizing minerals.
Most mills were fashioned from stone, but
this one made from a semi-precious form of
the mineral quartz known as agate reveals
the noble status of the imperial family member
who used it. |
