SHIEROMILIN

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Up until the 20th century one of the most widely used tools of the Cypriot household was the shieromilin or shieromilos, namely the stone hand mill for threshing milling various products, like bulgur, bitter vetch, split peas, and others.

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The shieromilin was comprised of two circular stones equal in size placed one on top of the other, which were both perforated at their centres, so as to position through the holes a wooden rod known as palloutzi that functioned as a central axis. The upper stone had a second perforation near its periphery, where a second wooden rod functioning as a handle was placed. By pushing this second rod/handle the upper stone would rotate, while the lower stone remained fixed, thus allowing any material placed between the stones to be milled/crushed.