Ancient Persian Windmills

The first Persian windmills were vertical axis designs made between 500 and 900 AD. Sails used to power boats across water possibly inspired the design. Even though this type of windmill is inefficient, it produces useful power.

Persian Windmills

Persian windmills looked like an axle with large spokes. The axle was mounted perpendicular to the ground and the spokes had reeds or wood mounted to them. When the wind blew, the spokes rotated around the vertical axis. The Persians used sails for the wind to power boats, and adapted this concept for the windmill.

Uses

The Persians used this concept to grind grain. A grinding stone on the bottom of the vertical shaft rotated as wind turned the assembly. Persians used this system for irrigation.

Useful Concept

This windmill design is inefficient, but it provided enough power to irrigate fields and grind grain. The concept of using wind for power spread from Persia to China and Europe.

References

• Telos Net: Early History Thru 1875
• Tehran Times: Oldest Windmills in Ancient Persia