DOI Artikel:
Editorial
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49000#0003
EDITORIAL
In this issue, the contributors from five coun-
tries bring fresh material on a variety of topics,
based on research in the field or through doc-
uments. Archaeological investigation in an
urban context is often a race against time, but
the race is often worth while.
Per Noe’s discoveries in Viborg bring the
first evidence in Denmark of the turning of
grass-sods with a mouldboard plough. The
Scottish cultivation ridges, some of them quite
high-lying, reflect a ploughing technique that
was widespread before the days of systematic
underground drainage - one, indeed, that fol-
lowed the plough as far as Australia (Twidale:
Tools and Tillage L4,1971). It would be too
great a task to record all such ridges and fur-
rows, but it is necessary to examine some
examples in great detail, with some excava-
tion, in order to learn more about the mechan-
ics of ridge and furrow. We are also interested
in the ploughing patterns where no ridge and
furrow exists, and where observations can still
be made at the present day.
In the articles on the winnowing of grain the
old and new are brought together, and the
diffusion of innovations can be demonstrated
over great parts of the world. In 1928 Paul
Leser concluded that the winnowing machine
came to Europe from China, because of the
similarities. Now the truth of his conclusion is
fully demonstrated, and no doubt investiga-
tion of the records of trading companies in
countries other than Sweden may pinpoint
further examples of direct introduction in the
form of models or originals. It is perhaps no
less astonishing a jump, that the European
bicycle should form the basis for a cheap,
readily usable winnowing machine now being
experimented with in Malaysia.
Because of pressure on space, we have had
to split J. A. Perkin’s article on Harvest-Tech-
nology and Labour Supply into two parts.
Here his material on the scythe is presented.
The very sensitive interaction between
harvesting equipment and high manpower re-
quirements at this peak period of the farming
year is again demonstrated.
With this third volume of TOOLS AND
TILLAGE we should want to ask for future
contributions on new subjects and from areas
as yet scarcely represented. Comparative data
from Central and Eastern Europe, from the
Iberian Peninsula, and other parts of Europe
and beyond would be welcomed. In every
case, we are anxious to bring the results of
fresh research into play. Amongst the subjects
we should like to explore are the methods of
land reclamation, drainage, and irrigation,
and the storage of grain and other produce in
pits. Information on imitative experiments rel-
evant to the field covered by the journal could
also bring fresh means of interpreting the past.
In this issue, the contributors from five coun-
tries bring fresh material on a variety of topics,
based on research in the field or through doc-
uments. Archaeological investigation in an
urban context is often a race against time, but
the race is often worth while.
Per Noe’s discoveries in Viborg bring the
first evidence in Denmark of the turning of
grass-sods with a mouldboard plough. The
Scottish cultivation ridges, some of them quite
high-lying, reflect a ploughing technique that
was widespread before the days of systematic
underground drainage - one, indeed, that fol-
lowed the plough as far as Australia (Twidale:
Tools and Tillage L4,1971). It would be too
great a task to record all such ridges and fur-
rows, but it is necessary to examine some
examples in great detail, with some excava-
tion, in order to learn more about the mechan-
ics of ridge and furrow. We are also interested
in the ploughing patterns where no ridge and
furrow exists, and where observations can still
be made at the present day.
In the articles on the winnowing of grain the
old and new are brought together, and the
diffusion of innovations can be demonstrated
over great parts of the world. In 1928 Paul
Leser concluded that the winnowing machine
came to Europe from China, because of the
similarities. Now the truth of his conclusion is
fully demonstrated, and no doubt investiga-
tion of the records of trading companies in
countries other than Sweden may pinpoint
further examples of direct introduction in the
form of models or originals. It is perhaps no
less astonishing a jump, that the European
bicycle should form the basis for a cheap,
readily usable winnowing machine now being
experimented with in Malaysia.
Because of pressure on space, we have had
to split J. A. Perkin’s article on Harvest-Tech-
nology and Labour Supply into two parts.
Here his material on the scythe is presented.
The very sensitive interaction between
harvesting equipment and high manpower re-
quirements at this peak period of the farming
year is again demonstrated.
With this third volume of TOOLS AND
TILLAGE we should want to ask for future
contributions on new subjects and from areas
as yet scarcely represented. Comparative data
from Central and Eastern Europe, from the
Iberian Peninsula, and other parts of Europe
and beyond would be welcomed. In every
case, we are anxious to bring the results of
fresh research into play. Amongst the subjects
we should like to explore are the methods of
land reclamation, drainage, and irrigation,
and the storage of grain and other produce in
pits. Information on imitative experiments rel-
evant to the field covered by the journal could
also bring fresh means of interpreting the past.