2017/10

Flail, made as a replica of a flail probably from the MERL collection. The flail is made from two long wooden sticks, joined together at one end with leather bindings. Used as a handling object.

1 Flail: wood, iron metal, leather

MERL Miscellaneous note - Found unentered in the workshop. Assumed part of an old handling collection made prior to the Museum moving from Whiteknights to Redlands Road in 2004., MERL Object label - 'REPLICA FLAIL SCHOOLS COLLECTION', Object history research, December 2022 - 'How can this object be described? The flail is made from two long wooden sticks, joined together at one end with leather bindings. // What was this object used for? A flail is a hand tool used to thresh corn and other crops to separate the grain from the husks. One stick was held in the hand (the staff) and the other stick (the swingel) was hit against the plant and a joint (swivel) held the two parts together. // How old is it? This flail was made especially for the Musuem. We are not sure when it was made, but before 2004. // Which other objects in the collection relate to the flail? Flails were commonly for threshing, before the development of threshing machines. // Flail fans were used in processing grains. [MERL 55/5]. This type of basketwork winnowing fan was used for separating the corn from the chaff after it was threshed. The grain was put into the shallow scallop shell-shaped basket and thrown up into a draught of air so that the chaff was blown away. // Threshing machines automated the process. The MERL has a threshing machine in the gallery [MERL 52/42]. Once the wheat is cut and put into sheaves it is fed into this machine where drums beat the grain from the stalk. The material falls through shaking screens to remove the stalks and chaff from the grain kernels. Clean grain comes out one end and straw is blown out the other.'

Whiteknights Campus [University of Reading]

2004-12-31

Flail, Replica

Wood, Metal, iron