Molinology
Molinology is the study of mills and other mechanical devices which use the energy of moving water or wind, or the strength of animal or human muscle to power machines for purposes such as hammering, grinding, pumping, sawing, pressing or fulling. More particularly, molinology aims to retain the knowledge of those traditional engines which have been rendered obsolete by modern technical and economic trends.
The term "Molinology" was coined in 1965 by the Portuguese industrial historian João Miguel dos Santos Simões.
Cultural and scientific interest in molinology is maintained by The International Molinological Society, a non-profit organisation which brings together around five hundred members worldwide. It was founded in 1973 after earlier international symposia in 1965 and 1969.
