Production and primary processing of grain in the Ung, Bereg, Ugocha and Maramoros counties in the Middle Ages

Abstract

The present research deals with the medieval grain production and the primary processing of it in Ung, Bereg, Ugocsa and Maramures counties. In the Middle Ages, the primary foodstuff was bread, which could be made from a variety of grains. In today's Transcarpathia, bread was made primarily using wheat and rye, which were crucial parts of the everyday eating. After the founding of the Hungarian state, the branch of the food production underwent a transformation, namely the animal-husbandry was slowly replaced by tillage. With the continuous development of the village system, indoor and outdoor farming were also spreading. Grain was grown on arable land away from the house, which has been a high priority. In order to understand the system based on family farming, principally the number of family members must be calculated, and then the average number of settlements follows from the obtained data, which gives the amount of land required per families and settlements to produce grain for bread. The bread was baked in a two-week cycle, when the family gained 30 kg. The growing crops for bread is the first stage of the process, which is followed by milling, i.e. the second stage. Grinding took place in mills, of which several varieties are separated. In the case of our region, watermills were widespread, of which there are also several types. We separate a stream mill and a floating mill from water mills. In the case of our region, both varieties have been identified. The mills did not work all year round, they could only work at the proper water level. Therefore, neither in winter cold nor in summer the mill could not work, so the grinding of flour needed for bread took place mainly in spring and autumn. Mills were one of the most complex technological machines of the time, the operation and maintenance of which required a specialist with relevant knowledge. Mills can be used for grinding grain, as well as for sawing and grinding wood. By examining the available resources, tens of mills were localized in the four counties, which also sheds light on the technological development of the age.