DOI Artikel:
Chernetsov, Alexey V.: On the origin and early development of the East-European plough and the Russian sokha
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.48999#0037
PLOUGH AND SOKHA
35
Numerous scientists have dealt with the history
of ancient Russian agriculture, and in partic-
ular the history of instruments of tillage (Le-
vashova 1956; Kiryanov 1959; Smith 1959;
Dovzhenok 1961). Traditional instruments of
tillage in Eastern Europe (fig. 1, 2, 3) have a
special degree of interest. Their particular con-
structions are well adapted to local soil con-
ditions and the geographic distribution strictly
corresponds to landscape and soil zones (Novi-
kov 1962).
The significant number of dated shares
found during archaeological excavations great-
ly helps the historical investigation of the cor-
responding tools. But nevertheless some impor-
tant questions remain unresolved up to the
present, including the problem of the origin
of the main traditional tilling instruments of
the East-Slavonian peasantry - the Ukrainian
plough and the Russian COXA, sokha.
The problem of dating the appearance in
Russia of the one-sided plough with an unila-
teral mouldboard is a matter of special in-
terest. The author adheres to the wide-spread
point of view that considers neither finds of
coulters, nor the increasing size of symmetrical
shares as indisputable evidence of the appear-
ance of the real plough. Only dated asymme-
trical shares must be considered sufficient evi-
dence to suggest that the transition from the
symmetrical ard to the asymmetrical plough
has already taken place. - There are some
small slightly asymmetrical late roman and
early medieval shares, too narrow to be fittings
for a real plough. Their shape might be a re-
sult of careless blacksmiths’ work, or of some
special condition of tool usage (Krasnov
1971). - Before the Mongol invasion (not later
than Xllth cent.), as well as small shares that
can be considered parts of primitive tools (fig.
4, 6) (like the more recent Ukrainian ard and
Russian sokha), big symmetrical shares appear,
usually found with coulters. Their length is
about 18-23 cm, and width 14-18 cm. Some
scientists consider these shares to be parts of
ploughs (Dovzhenok 1961; Kiryanov in: Voz-
niknoveniye . . ., 1967), but the opposite point
of view is also maintained (Kochin 1965; Pod-
winska 1962). The form and measurement of
these shares differ greatly from the more re-
cent East-European plough-shares, described
by some XVIII-XIXth century ethnographers
Fig. 3. Traditional tools of tillage of the Eastern Slavonians, from an XVIII cent, engraving. (1) sokha, (2)
plough, (3) ard.
Traditionelle Bodenbaugerate der Ostslawen nach einem Kupferstich aus dem 18. Jahrh. (1) sokha, (2) Pflug,
(3) Haken.
35
Numerous scientists have dealt with the history
of ancient Russian agriculture, and in partic-
ular the history of instruments of tillage (Le-
vashova 1956; Kiryanov 1959; Smith 1959;
Dovzhenok 1961). Traditional instruments of
tillage in Eastern Europe (fig. 1, 2, 3) have a
special degree of interest. Their particular con-
structions are well adapted to local soil con-
ditions and the geographic distribution strictly
corresponds to landscape and soil zones (Novi-
kov 1962).
The significant number of dated shares
found during archaeological excavations great-
ly helps the historical investigation of the cor-
responding tools. But nevertheless some impor-
tant questions remain unresolved up to the
present, including the problem of the origin
of the main traditional tilling instruments of
the East-Slavonian peasantry - the Ukrainian
plough and the Russian COXA, sokha.
The problem of dating the appearance in
Russia of the one-sided plough with an unila-
teral mouldboard is a matter of special in-
terest. The author adheres to the wide-spread
point of view that considers neither finds of
coulters, nor the increasing size of symmetrical
shares as indisputable evidence of the appear-
ance of the real plough. Only dated asymme-
trical shares must be considered sufficient evi-
dence to suggest that the transition from the
symmetrical ard to the asymmetrical plough
has already taken place. - There are some
small slightly asymmetrical late roman and
early medieval shares, too narrow to be fittings
for a real plough. Their shape might be a re-
sult of careless blacksmiths’ work, or of some
special condition of tool usage (Krasnov
1971). - Before the Mongol invasion (not later
than Xllth cent.), as well as small shares that
can be considered parts of primitive tools (fig.
4, 6) (like the more recent Ukrainian ard and
Russian sokha), big symmetrical shares appear,
usually found with coulters. Their length is
about 18-23 cm, and width 14-18 cm. Some
scientists consider these shares to be parts of
ploughs (Dovzhenok 1961; Kiryanov in: Voz-
niknoveniye . . ., 1967), but the opposite point
of view is also maintained (Kochin 1965; Pod-
winska 1962). The form and measurement of
these shares differ greatly from the more re-
cent East-European plough-shares, described
by some XVIII-XIXth century ethnographers
Fig. 3. Traditional tools of tillage of the Eastern Slavonians, from an XVIII cent, engraving. (1) sokha, (2)
plough, (3) ard.
Traditionelle Bodenbaugerate der Ostslawen nach einem Kupferstich aus dem 18. Jahrh. (1) sokha, (2) Pflug,
(3) Haken.