The Talanta Watermill
Just 25 kilometres southeast of Monemvasia, one can visit the picturesque village of Talanta. The name of the village derives from the ancient Greek word for a unit of weight and currency, denoting the once prosperous and economic health of the village inhabitants. Specifically, Talanta was the most significant industrial zone in the region from the early 18th to the mid-20th century. Thousands of producers flocked to Talanta to grind their "gοmaria" (the wheat that the animals carried).
The local Cultural Association of Talanta, called the "Holy Trinity", has restored one of the eleven watermills in the area, which is fully operational. Specifically, this is the third watermill counting from the top to the bottom of the Balli Gorge. The watermill operates every Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm. Barba-Giannis, the miller, awaits the visitors to take them on a guided tour of the historic watermill and show them how the wheat falls into the mill, how it is grained into the stones with the power of water and in the end, how the flour comes out, which is for sale to anyone who wants to buy some. The watermill stopped operating in the 1960s, and in 2006 it was "born again" thanks to the love and affection of the locals. Access is possible via a small road and a cobblestone path leading to the village square, while the picturesque landscape is complemented by plane trees, walnuts, myrtles, and running waters.
The Talanta watermills belong to the most widespread architectural type of single-wheel horizontal watermill. The operation of watermills has been recorded, according to Venetian documents, at least since the early 18th century. During the period of the Occupation, and until the power supply of the area, several watermills were operating. Most were corporate, with a maximum of five shareholders, while a few were solely owned by one owner. They got their names, either from their owners or from their location. Specifically, the eleven watermills have the following names: Pano Mill, Messianos, Kato Mill, Crendiras, Stemnis, Kotsomillari, Trypa, Kranidis, Kotsomillaro, Spanos, Koronios. Last but not least, watermills, in addition to grinding cereals (such as wheat, barley, oats and corn), were also used in bleaching woollen fabrics.