🍀 Saxons - The Medieval Wine Press from Vințu de Jos

     In the heart of Transylvania, at Vințu de Jos, the history of fruit, grape and seed processing technology was shaped by a revolutionary tool: the screw invented by Archimedes in the 2nd century BC. This is true for all the Romanian and Saxon settlements in the wine-growing areas from which the presses in the museum originate, be it the Mures slopes or the sunny hills of Cristian, near Sibiu. 

     The medieval press was brought to life by carving a nut and bolt from hard woods such as wild pear, oak or beech in an area where wood was so readily available. 

     However, Saxon settlement brought technologies and traditions from western Europe to these lands, such as the eccentric screw and bypod press, and the stone table. Over time, this model was also adopted in Romanian households, where they were housed in temporary or permanent sheds