DOI article:
Lamb, R. C.; Rees, S. E.: Ard cultivation at Sumburgh, Shetland
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49001#0124
120
LAMB AND REES
Periode, wo sie an der Oberflache einer Sandverwehung gebildet warden, die von einem suddstlichen
Sturm gegen die Seite des Hauses getrieben wurde. Uber der Verwehung ein neuer Pfliigeboden, der
sich nachher entwickelt hat. Die punktierte Flachen zuoberst auf dem Plan ist die Lehmwand des
Hauses, die schrag nach unten verlauft und unter die Sandverwehung reicht. Das Pfliigen des Bodens,
der sich dann auf der Sandverwehung bildete, hinterlieh braune Arlspuren in der Sandoberflache, und
man sieht, dab zwei dieser Spuren in das Wandmaterial des Hauses hinein fortsetzen, wo sie als Striche
weifien Sandes aufscheinen, welche die Ari in die Wandfiillung gezogen hat. Die drei aufrechtstehenden
Platten in der nordbstlichen Ecke sind die herausragenden obersten Teile einer plattenformigen Kiste,
die auf der schragen Wand des Hauses aufgebaut war und unter der Sandverwehung begraben wurde.
Man sieht, dafi die Arlspuren sich in den Bereich der Kiste fortsetzen, was die Mandvrierfahigkeit der
Ari aufzeigt, die scharf angehoben worden sein mull, um die hervorstehendenden Platten zu umgehen.
face into the wall material, suggesting that
the ard was being driven up the lower slope
of the wall. These marks however are a
minority; most of them trend tangentially to
the wall, indicating that the ard was skirting
the slope. It is clear however from the marks
which do run towards the wall, that the
implement was very manoeuvrable, being
capable of turning sharply within a confined
space; this supports Hansen’s (1969, 89) sug-
gestion that small cows may have formed the
team.
The original oval house later was length-
ened southwards, using the same method of
heap construction, and the plough-soil level
around it continued to rise. A third set of ard
marks was detected curving around this end
of the house. They were much more difficult
to see, lying entirely within the brown
plough-soil; and unlike those of the earlier
two periods, ran only on one alignment,
concentric with the curve of the wall. Evi-
dently the wall slope was too steep to allow
the ard to be brought in close at right angles.
Later still, the house was substantially re-
built to a new heel-shaped plan, and the
third-period ard marks were sealed beneath
this.
Stone ard tips were manufactured within
the settlement from a local sandstone. They
occur throughout the stratigraphic history of
the site, confirming that ard cultivation was
continuous. They do not undergo significant
development during the history of the settle-
ment. Wear marks on them are very similar
to the wear produced on the wooden bar
share of Hansen’s (1969, 88) experimental
bow ard. The markings on the sides indicate
the angle at which the tips penetrated the
ground; this is consistently around 290,
rather less than the 3 $°-381/20 which Hansen
found worked best with his wooden ard.
The length of the striations on the upper face
of the tips can be used in conjunction with
the angle of penetration to calculate the ver-
tical depth to which the tips could penetrate
the soil, an average of 80-100 mm. Asym-
metrical wear of the working ends confirms
the evidence of the ard marks that the imple-
ment was tilted to left or right. The wear on
nine tools showed that they were used with a
consistently left-hand tilt, while five tips had
been used always tilted to the right; but the
majority of the worn tips had wear patterns
indicating no consistent direction of tilt.
The disposition of the Sumburgh ard
marks does not suggest a regular and formal
criss-cross ploughing pattern; it warns
against a too ready assumption that ard culti-
vation necessarily took the form of regular
criss-cross ploughing, with its implication of
a correspondingly neat field shape.
LAMB AND REES
Periode, wo sie an der Oberflache einer Sandverwehung gebildet warden, die von einem suddstlichen
Sturm gegen die Seite des Hauses getrieben wurde. Uber der Verwehung ein neuer Pfliigeboden, der
sich nachher entwickelt hat. Die punktierte Flachen zuoberst auf dem Plan ist die Lehmwand des
Hauses, die schrag nach unten verlauft und unter die Sandverwehung reicht. Das Pfliigen des Bodens,
der sich dann auf der Sandverwehung bildete, hinterlieh braune Arlspuren in der Sandoberflache, und
man sieht, dab zwei dieser Spuren in das Wandmaterial des Hauses hinein fortsetzen, wo sie als Striche
weifien Sandes aufscheinen, welche die Ari in die Wandfiillung gezogen hat. Die drei aufrechtstehenden
Platten in der nordbstlichen Ecke sind die herausragenden obersten Teile einer plattenformigen Kiste,
die auf der schragen Wand des Hauses aufgebaut war und unter der Sandverwehung begraben wurde.
Man sieht, dafi die Arlspuren sich in den Bereich der Kiste fortsetzen, was die Mandvrierfahigkeit der
Ari aufzeigt, die scharf angehoben worden sein mull, um die hervorstehendenden Platten zu umgehen.
face into the wall material, suggesting that
the ard was being driven up the lower slope
of the wall. These marks however are a
minority; most of them trend tangentially to
the wall, indicating that the ard was skirting
the slope. It is clear however from the marks
which do run towards the wall, that the
implement was very manoeuvrable, being
capable of turning sharply within a confined
space; this supports Hansen’s (1969, 89) sug-
gestion that small cows may have formed the
team.
The original oval house later was length-
ened southwards, using the same method of
heap construction, and the plough-soil level
around it continued to rise. A third set of ard
marks was detected curving around this end
of the house. They were much more difficult
to see, lying entirely within the brown
plough-soil; and unlike those of the earlier
two periods, ran only on one alignment,
concentric with the curve of the wall. Evi-
dently the wall slope was too steep to allow
the ard to be brought in close at right angles.
Later still, the house was substantially re-
built to a new heel-shaped plan, and the
third-period ard marks were sealed beneath
this.
Stone ard tips were manufactured within
the settlement from a local sandstone. They
occur throughout the stratigraphic history of
the site, confirming that ard cultivation was
continuous. They do not undergo significant
development during the history of the settle-
ment. Wear marks on them are very similar
to the wear produced on the wooden bar
share of Hansen’s (1969, 88) experimental
bow ard. The markings on the sides indicate
the angle at which the tips penetrated the
ground; this is consistently around 290,
rather less than the 3 $°-381/20 which Hansen
found worked best with his wooden ard.
The length of the striations on the upper face
of the tips can be used in conjunction with
the angle of penetration to calculate the ver-
tical depth to which the tips could penetrate
the soil, an average of 80-100 mm. Asym-
metrical wear of the working ends confirms
the evidence of the ard marks that the imple-
ment was tilted to left or right. The wear on
nine tools showed that they were used with a
consistently left-hand tilt, while five tips had
been used always tilted to the right; but the
majority of the worn tips had wear patterns
indicating no consistent direction of tilt.
The disposition of the Sumburgh ard
marks does not suggest a regular and formal
criss-cross ploughing pattern; it warns
against a too ready assumption that ard culti-
vation necessarily took the form of regular
criss-cross ploughing, with its implication of
a correspondingly neat field shape.