Tools & tillage: a journal on the history of the implements of cultivation and other agricultural processes (1.1968/1971)

Fig. 1. Harvesters from Sartano wearing harvest aprons, vanterra, arm-bands, bracciale, and finger protectors,
canelli, clearly seen on the second person from the right. Photo HR.


Schnitter aus Sartano mit Ernteschurz, vanterra, Armbinde, bracciale, und Fingerlingen, canelli, die bei der
zweiten Person von rechts deutlich zu sehen sind.

GRAIN HARVEST AND THRESHING
IN CALABRIA*

Holger Rasmussen

In many respects the Mediterranean basin con-
stitutes a cultural unity with common cultural
traits. This article, therefore, based on field work
in Calabria in the summer of 1955, provides ma-
* I wish to express my sincere thanks to “Statens al-
mindelige Videnskabsfond” for covering the ex-
penses of my investigations in Italy.

terial comparable with Grith Lerche’s observa-
tions on grain harvesting in Iran (Tools and Till-
age I, 1. 1968: 33-49). The area under discussion
is the village of Sartano, near Cosenza, in the
central part of Calabria. Investigations lasted for
several months in 1953 and 1955, and it was,
therefore, possible to supplement personal ob-
servation with information from informants.