MULINO A VENTO STELLA

Windmills were an important element for the salt pan activity, they were truncated conical structures with a characteristic conical cupola and large wooden blades covered in material  (cuttonine) which worked like sails to capture the wind. This type was defined a stidda (star windmill) due to the shape of the blades. The blades went against the wind their movement worked the mechanism, which lifted the water through the spire di Archimede-Archimede’s coils, or grinded the salt. The Maria Stella salt pan windmill was one of many which dominated the landscape. Another type of windmill was called American because it was imported from America  (mid XX century), and had 24 sheet metal stainless steel blades.