Malounta (3rd mill, Tou Pitsilli)

Mill Description

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The watermill of Pitsilis is located in the Katelina area of Malounta, on the eastern bank of the Akaki River. The watermill was constructed in the late 19th century by Theodoros Pitsilis from Kythrea, who was a flour tradesman in Pitsilia. However, later on the mill went up for an auction and was purchased by thirty-seven residents of the village of Agios Ioannis. According to oral testimonies, the watermill was purchased by Ioannis Papapetrou, Charalampos Chadjiloizou and others. Subsequently, the watermill was leased to Antreas Theodoulou, the son of Pitsillis. The last miller was Pavlos Chadjidemetriou from Paleometocho, who operated the mill until 1950 (Lapithiotis et al. 2017: 13). Originally, the watermill featured an earthen channel, extending to the upper part of the stone built aqueduct. Today, the only structure that remains from the watermill is the water tower, which presents a rectangular shape in plan, along with the ruins of a smaller room attached to its southern face. The length of the tower is 7.80m., its width is 3.70m., and its height is 7.30m. On the western façade of the watertower two steps can be seen, while on the southern façade all three steps are preserved (Lapithiotis et al. 2017: 13). The construction of Pitsilis watermill incorporates river pebbles and limestone, creating a mixed masonry. The extensive use of limestone is notable, as there is a limestone rock in immediate vicinity of the mill. The limestone are mainly found in the upper part of the tower, combined with river pebbles and small gravel in between, a characteristic also found in traditional dwellings in the area. Externally, the tower is plastered, and it’s noteworthy that the plaster does not cover the upper part, possibly indicating a more recent extension in height. The internal masonry of the pit is plastered, except for the eastern internal wall, matching the appearance of the outer side. A narrow-arched room that used to house the waterwheel, in the south of the watermill at a lower level is visible. Mortar samples from the water tower and the aqueduct were analyzed, in order for them to be characterized. In total two mortar samples were examined. The first sample is a plaster from the interior surface of the pit (MAL 3-3) and the other one is a joint mortar from the water tower (MAL 3-4). The following analytical methods were used for the examination of the historic mortar samples: Thermal analysis (DTA-TG), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Based on the results, the samples are characterized as lime mortars with calcite, quartz, and feldspars aggregates. Additionally, the two mortar samples are considered as strongly hydraulic or with some hydraulic characteristics. Pandeli

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