DOI article:
Hansen, Hans Ole: Experimental ploughing with a Døstrup ard replica: a report on Imitative ploughing experiments with replicas of a prehistoric ard of the Døstrup type carried out in 1962-1968
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.48998#0091
PLOUGHING EXPERIMENTS
85
topsoil and sand and a uniform depth and shape
almost everywhere. These traces probably come
closest to the ploughing of ancient times. The
large fillings in cross-sections 8-10 are from a
break made by the wheel of the excavator. One
trace referred to above, is the one showing what
happens if the ard is tilted. This is perhaps shown
on fig. 18, cross-section 2-4. The ard turned so
sharply to the left that control was lost after it
had moved about 1 m, and the ard had to be lifted
soil. The cross-sections from different adjust-
ments of the ard share and different angles of
the ard demonstrate that the “dragging zone”
changes the trace, so that the profile of the ard
share can generally only be seen in a few places.
If, in excavating ard traces, it is desired to com-
pare the profiles with those of well-known ard
types, a regular series of excavations for cross-
sections over a longer stretch of a suitable trace
should be made, spaced for instance 10-20 cm
back. The sharper the curvature of the rear of
the beam, the sharper will of course the turning
be. Ards with passing through stilts are not suit-
able for ploughing in a tilted position in loose
apart for about 20 m. One cross-section out of
perhaps 20-50 will characterize the profile of the
ard (cf. fig. 17). The excavator should be on the
alert for darker zones about or beneath a zone
of top soil in a presumed trace. The trace may be
0 10 cm.
L-1-1
HI Frayed
deeper or wider than the occurrence of topsoil
shows.
The Steering of the Ard on the Evidence of
Networks of Ard Traces
When the surface was uncovered in certain places,
examples of interesting traces were found. It
appeared that the “dragging zone” worked hori-
Fig. 22. Wear marks on the wooden bar share A and
ard head B. The thick end of the share A is shown
above as 1 - top side, 2 - profile, 3 - under side. The
sharp end is shown below. The dotted lines indicate
zones for fine polishing. The lined areas show coarse
polishing, while the squared areas are frayed zones.
The arrows at the profile of the share indicate the
slanting wear and also the angle of the share during
ploughing. There are relatively slight zones of wear on
the ard head and the heel of the beam. These zones
would probably not increase in size at any speed.
Abnutzungsspuren an der geraden Holzschar A und
dem Hakenkopf B. Das dicke Ende der Schar A ist
oben wiedergegeben: 1 - Oberseite, 2 - Profil, 3 - Un-
terseite. Das spitze Ende sieht man unten. Die punkt-
Coarse polishing
I I Fine polishing
IX Slantwise wearing
ierten Linien geben leicht abgeschliffene Stellen an. Die schraffierten Flachen
sind stark abgeschliffen, wahrend die karierten Flachen abgeschabte Stellen an-
geben. Die Pfeile am Profil der Schar zeigen die schrage Abnutzung und zu gleich
den Schar-Winkel beim Pfliigen. Am Kopf des Hakens sowie am hinteren Ende
des Grindels findet man verhaltnismassig kleine abgenutzte Stellen. Diese
Stellen diirften sich kaum mit nenneswerter Geschwindigkeit weiter ausdehnen.
85
topsoil and sand and a uniform depth and shape
almost everywhere. These traces probably come
closest to the ploughing of ancient times. The
large fillings in cross-sections 8-10 are from a
break made by the wheel of the excavator. One
trace referred to above, is the one showing what
happens if the ard is tilted. This is perhaps shown
on fig. 18, cross-section 2-4. The ard turned so
sharply to the left that control was lost after it
had moved about 1 m, and the ard had to be lifted
soil. The cross-sections from different adjust-
ments of the ard share and different angles of
the ard demonstrate that the “dragging zone”
changes the trace, so that the profile of the ard
share can generally only be seen in a few places.
If, in excavating ard traces, it is desired to com-
pare the profiles with those of well-known ard
types, a regular series of excavations for cross-
sections over a longer stretch of a suitable trace
should be made, spaced for instance 10-20 cm
back. The sharper the curvature of the rear of
the beam, the sharper will of course the turning
be. Ards with passing through stilts are not suit-
able for ploughing in a tilted position in loose
apart for about 20 m. One cross-section out of
perhaps 20-50 will characterize the profile of the
ard (cf. fig. 17). The excavator should be on the
alert for darker zones about or beneath a zone
of top soil in a presumed trace. The trace may be
0 10 cm.
L-1-1
HI Frayed
deeper or wider than the occurrence of topsoil
shows.
The Steering of the Ard on the Evidence of
Networks of Ard Traces
When the surface was uncovered in certain places,
examples of interesting traces were found. It
appeared that the “dragging zone” worked hori-
Fig. 22. Wear marks on the wooden bar share A and
ard head B. The thick end of the share A is shown
above as 1 - top side, 2 - profile, 3 - under side. The
sharp end is shown below. The dotted lines indicate
zones for fine polishing. The lined areas show coarse
polishing, while the squared areas are frayed zones.
The arrows at the profile of the share indicate the
slanting wear and also the angle of the share during
ploughing. There are relatively slight zones of wear on
the ard head and the heel of the beam. These zones
would probably not increase in size at any speed.
Abnutzungsspuren an der geraden Holzschar A und
dem Hakenkopf B. Das dicke Ende der Schar A ist
oben wiedergegeben: 1 - Oberseite, 2 - Profil, 3 - Un-
terseite. Das spitze Ende sieht man unten. Die punkt-
Coarse polishing
I I Fine polishing
IX Slantwise wearing
ierten Linien geben leicht abgeschliffene Stellen an. Die schraffierten Flachen
sind stark abgeschliffen, wahrend die karierten Flachen abgeschabte Stellen an-
geben. Die Pfeile am Profil der Schar zeigen die schrage Abnutzung und zu gleich
den Schar-Winkel beim Pfliigen. Am Kopf des Hakens sowie am hinteren Ende
des Grindels findet man verhaltnismassig kleine abgenutzte Stellen. Diese
Stellen diirften sich kaum mit nenneswerter Geschwindigkeit weiter ausdehnen.