DOI article:
Steensberg, Axel: A 6000 year old ploughing implement from Satrup Moor
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.48999#0113
A 6000 YEAR OLD IMPLEMENT
107
tinuation of the front face of the blade. Of
course this must have been done for some
practical reason, probably in order to level the
surface of the material in which the tool was
intended to work. However, this feature is also
characteristic for the two other “spades” in
contradistinction to the other spade shaped tools
of the find.
IL The long “spade”, a rope traction ard.
The “spade” with the long shaft, fig. 3, 4, was
also made of ash, and its shaft was cut out near
the heart-wood of the trunk. But the annual
rings are denser than those of the short imple-
ment described above. The full length is 185
cm, the length of the blade being now only 18
cm. However, the tip of the blade has been
broken off and lost. Originally the blade length
must have been c. 20 cm, according to which the
full length of the implement was 187 cm. The
breadth of the heart-shaped triangular blade is
21 cm. The shaft runs as a rib 3,5 cm down on
the front side of the blade, and the face of the
blade lies almost in continuation of the rear
edge of the shaft, - a displacement similar to
that of the blade of the short “spade” (see fig.
5). As mentioned before this discontinuation
might have had some practical reason if the tool
had been used as a shovel, but not if it was pul-
led continuously through the soil like an ard-
share.
Two perforations through the upper part of
the blade of the long implement indicate the
method of its use. The right hole has presum-
ably been drilled with a piece of flint, and
Fig. 3 and 4. The long complete ”spade“ from
Satrup Moor, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is
seen in profile, from the front side (3) and from
the rear side (4). Photo N. Elswing for the Gottorp
Castle.
Das lange Gerat aus dem Moor von Satrup, Schles-
wig-Holstein, Deutschland, Profit, Vorderseite (3)
und Riickseite (4).
107
tinuation of the front face of the blade. Of
course this must have been done for some
practical reason, probably in order to level the
surface of the material in which the tool was
intended to work. However, this feature is also
characteristic for the two other “spades” in
contradistinction to the other spade shaped tools
of the find.
IL The long “spade”, a rope traction ard.
The “spade” with the long shaft, fig. 3, 4, was
also made of ash, and its shaft was cut out near
the heart-wood of the trunk. But the annual
rings are denser than those of the short imple-
ment described above. The full length is 185
cm, the length of the blade being now only 18
cm. However, the tip of the blade has been
broken off and lost. Originally the blade length
must have been c. 20 cm, according to which the
full length of the implement was 187 cm. The
breadth of the heart-shaped triangular blade is
21 cm. The shaft runs as a rib 3,5 cm down on
the front side of the blade, and the face of the
blade lies almost in continuation of the rear
edge of the shaft, - a displacement similar to
that of the blade of the short “spade” (see fig.
5). As mentioned before this discontinuation
might have had some practical reason if the tool
had been used as a shovel, but not if it was pul-
led continuously through the soil like an ard-
share.
Two perforations through the upper part of
the blade of the long implement indicate the
method of its use. The right hole has presum-
ably been drilled with a piece of flint, and
Fig. 3 and 4. The long complete ”spade“ from
Satrup Moor, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is
seen in profile, from the front side (3) and from
the rear side (4). Photo N. Elswing for the Gottorp
Castle.
Das lange Gerat aus dem Moor von Satrup, Schles-
wig-Holstein, Deutschland, Profit, Vorderseite (3)
und Riickseite (4).