Object number
2000/2/3
Description
This plough beam is part of an ard which was originally collected by the donor in Gravina in Puglia, in the Italian Province of Bari, in the 1970s. An ard is a simple type of plough that has no mouldboard or coulter. The plough beam runs horizontally above the ground, connecting the sole (which holds the share and runs along the ground) to the yoke beam (whilch holds the yoke).
Physical description
1 ard beam: wood
Archival history
MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Museum of English Rural Life) – 'Ard // Description // SOLE ART - ITALIAN TYPE // A long wooden ard consisting of several parts as follows: // 1. Sole with 2 side wings - wood - L. 103cm W.at wings 32cm // 2. Stilt - curved from The Sole - wood - L. 100cm W. at base 13cm // Hand grip through hole at end 30cm long. Also 2nd hole // 3. Plough beam goes through the stilt + held in place with a peg. Heavy - approx 250cm. Supported from sole with 41cm long piece of wood. // 4 Yoke beam: joined to plough beam by means of iron band and 2 wooden pegs. Broken at this point. // The yoke beam is thinner + curved - 173cm long and has 3 holes in it. // 5 Yoke: curved + heavyy piece of wood with 2 sets of holes for ox collars + one metal hook in the centre where the yoke beam would be fixed. // 6. a) One conical, pointed, socketed iron share with pin hole. 64cm long. [no hole in the Sole] // b) One flat pointed iron share with side flanges - L. 38cm. // [see 2000/3] // References // K.D.WHITE "Agricultural Implements of The Roman World" // MERL 3630 p126. [Also see photographs] // P DX 1097 // See attached correspondence // 1. The ARD comes from GRAVINA di PUGLIA - or nearby in the heel of ITALY. Collected in 1970s. // 2. The arrow shaped plough share was bought in BODRUM in S.W.TURKEY at the same time. // A modern piece of wrought iron work. 2000/3'
Production date
1979
Object name
Material
Associated subject