DOI article:
Szabó, Mátyás: Clearing of stony ground and cultivation in Sweden: an interplay between expertise, organisation and technique
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49001#0029
CLEARING GROUND
27
completely made of wood (fig.20). This
construction is well suited for the transpor-
tation of stones because of its solidity and
not too great height. They were also used in
the greater part of Sweden for several cen-
turies. Experience showed, however, that
these conveyances were very heavy to drive
and demanded many strong draught ani-
mals. As the common work wagon, because
of its height, was difficult to load, it was
necessary to invent a machine which was
easy to drive and at the same time solved the
difficult problem of lifting. During the sec-
ond half of the 18th century several new
constructions were added, all of which in
their own way tried to make easier the work
for people who were dealing with stone.
Here too the farmhand Birgersson contri-
buted, by producing a wagon with moveable
sides so that the stone could be hoisted from
the ground directly on to the flat bottom of
the wagon in a hanging net of chains (fig. 21)
(LM Ja 7 in the collections of the Nordic
Museum, cf the Acts of the Academy of
Sciences 1773).
At the same time J. Ramsell from Farna
Mill (Narke) constructed a robust stone wa-
gon with stout beams, which by rotating the
back axle could be lowered for the loading of
stones (fig.22) (LM Ja 10 in the collections
of the Nordic Museum, cf. Hush. Journ.
1779 July, p.93f.). The intention of the
constructor was to surpass the previous wa-
gon in efficiency. To construct stone wagons
was at this time something of a compe-
tition.20 Most of these constructions re-
mained at the experimental stage and were
thus only technical devices. The type of
stone wagon where the load could be hoisted
up by a rotating back axle confirms this. The
cranking arrangement would be easily man-
aged with the aid of a crowbar stuck into a
special hole. One stone wagon looked, to
judge from the examples preserved, much
Fig. 17. Stone sled at work. Morlunda parish,
Smaland. Photo: Sigurd Erixon 1934.
Steinschleife in Betrieb. Pfarrbezirk Morlunda,
Smaland, Schweden.
Fig. 18. Transportation of stone with work wag-
gon. S.Mellby parish, Skane, South Sweden.
Photo: Nordic Museum.
Transport von Steinen mit Arbeitswagen. Pfarr-
bezirk S.Mellby, Schonen, Schweden.
27
completely made of wood (fig.20). This
construction is well suited for the transpor-
tation of stones because of its solidity and
not too great height. They were also used in
the greater part of Sweden for several cen-
turies. Experience showed, however, that
these conveyances were very heavy to drive
and demanded many strong draught ani-
mals. As the common work wagon, because
of its height, was difficult to load, it was
necessary to invent a machine which was
easy to drive and at the same time solved the
difficult problem of lifting. During the sec-
ond half of the 18th century several new
constructions were added, all of which in
their own way tried to make easier the work
for people who were dealing with stone.
Here too the farmhand Birgersson contri-
buted, by producing a wagon with moveable
sides so that the stone could be hoisted from
the ground directly on to the flat bottom of
the wagon in a hanging net of chains (fig. 21)
(LM Ja 7 in the collections of the Nordic
Museum, cf the Acts of the Academy of
Sciences 1773).
At the same time J. Ramsell from Farna
Mill (Narke) constructed a robust stone wa-
gon with stout beams, which by rotating the
back axle could be lowered for the loading of
stones (fig.22) (LM Ja 10 in the collections
of the Nordic Museum, cf. Hush. Journ.
1779 July, p.93f.). The intention of the
constructor was to surpass the previous wa-
gon in efficiency. To construct stone wagons
was at this time something of a compe-
tition.20 Most of these constructions re-
mained at the experimental stage and were
thus only technical devices. The type of
stone wagon where the load could be hoisted
up by a rotating back axle confirms this. The
cranking arrangement would be easily man-
aged with the aid of a crowbar stuck into a
special hole. One stone wagon looked, to
judge from the examples preserved, much
Fig. 17. Stone sled at work. Morlunda parish,
Smaland. Photo: Sigurd Erixon 1934.
Steinschleife in Betrieb. Pfarrbezirk Morlunda,
Smaland, Schweden.
Fig. 18. Transportation of stone with work wag-
gon. S.Mellby parish, Skane, South Sweden.
Photo: Nordic Museum.
Transport von Steinen mit Arbeitswagen. Pfarr-
bezirk S.Mellby, Schonen, Schweden.