Metate
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A metate is a type or variety of quern, a ground stone tool used for processing grain and seeds. In traditional Mesoamerican cultures, metates are typically used by women who would grind nixtamalized
Metate, mano and corn, all circa 12th century AD, from Chaco Canyon, USA
Mano, metate and bowl of corn. Museum display of Ancestral Pueblo artifacts at Mesa Verde National Park.
A Costa Rican metate with bird iconography at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
A native American grinder stone tool or 'metate' from Central Mexico.
Nixtamalization
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Nixtamalization is a process for the preparation of maize, or other grain, in which the grain is soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution, usually limewater, washed, and then hulled. The term can als
Metate
…a ground stone tool used for processing grain and seeds. In traditional Mesoamerican cultures, metates are typically used by women who would grind nixtamalized maize and other organic materials during food preparation (e.g., making tortillas). Similar artifacts have been found in other regions, such as the…
An 1836 lithograph of tortilla production in rural Mexico
Bowl of hominy (nixtamalized corn kernels)
Dry maize, untreated (left) and boiled in lime (right). In this case, typical of El Salvador, 1 pound (450 g) is boiled with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of lime for 15 minutes, left to stand for a few hours, and washed with fresh water. The hulls are removed, and the kernels ground into masa. Exact methods vary by use and region.[citation needed]