Pilón

Description:

This mortar and pestle were used to grind coffee beans after they were dried and roasted. Coffee was a major cash crop in Puerto Rico, second only to sugar. It grows well in the low mountains of the island, like the fertile area around the town of Yauco in the southwest. In the 19th century many Corsicans settled in this region and played a significant role in developing the island's coffee economy, both as growers and exporters.

Date Made: ca 1970

Description (Spanish): El pilón se usaba para machacar los granos de café una vez secos y tostados. El café constituía un cultivo comercial de gran relevancia en Puerto Rico, el segundo en importancia después del azúcar. Se da bien en las montañas bajas de la isla, como por ejemplo en la zona fértil alrededor de la ciudad de Yauco, en el sudoeste. Durante el siglo XIX se establecieron en esta región muchos colonos oriundos de Córcega, quienes desempeñaron un papel esencial en el desarrollo de la economía de la isla en torno al café, impulsando tanto la producción como la exportación.

Place Made: Puerto Rico

Subject: Daily LifePuerto RicoHousehold Tools and Equipment

Subject:

See more items in: Home and Community Life: Ethnic, Cultures & Communities, Vidal

Exhibition: ¡Presente!

Exhibition Location: National Museum of American History

Credit Line: Gift of Teodoro Vidal

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: 1997.0097.0129Catalog Number: 1997.0097.0129Accession Number: 1997.0097

Object Name: mortar And pestle

Physical Description: wood (overall material)Measurements: overall: 21 cm x 48 cm x 28 cm; 8 1/4 in x 18 7/8 in x 11 in

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a4-24af-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_601007

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