Stuff You Should Know Short Stuff: Yakhchāls - Ancient Fridges
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Feb 12, 2025 Discover the marvels of ancient Persian refrigeration with yakhchāls! These ingenious structures effectively produced and stored ice, vital for food preservation in harsh climates. Explore their innovative design, including wind catchers that enhanced cooling. Delve into the cultural significance of ice in Persian cuisine, especially in creating delightful desserts like faluda. Unearth the fascinating history and engineering of these ancient ice houses and their lasting impact on culinary traditions.
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Ancient Refrigeration
- Ancient refrigerators, called yakhchāls, existed in Persia as early as 400 BC.
- These structures allowed ice to freeze and be preserved in climates where it typically wouldn't.
Effective Insulation
- Yakhchāls were insulated with a mortar called serouge, made of sand, clay, egg whites, lime, goat hair, and ash.
- This mixture provided insulation equivalent to three inches of concrete and one foot of styrofoam.
Ice Production
- Yakhchāls used water from aqueducts channeled through underground canats.
- High walls shaded the channels, promoting freezing in shallow ponds over several nights.