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D. M. VARISCO

value of 120 Yemeni riyals ($27) in late 1978.
The share is said to be more expensive than
the frame. The average ard lasts from five to
ten years, depending on the nature of the
soil. On the ghayl terraces the soil is easily
worked and has little stone content to abrade
the point. On the <aqar terraces a hard pan
usually develops and the soil is covered with
small stones. Wooden parts are easily re-
placed, and sharpening of the point is not
expensive. The traditional ard in al-Ahjur is
a readily affordable implement.
Although there are numerous illustrations
and descriptions of ploughs in Yemen, no
synthesis has yet been written. The Ahjuri
ard differs substantially from the ard illu-
strated by Maktari (p. 55) for Lahj in south-
ern Yemen. This southern ard type has a

curved wooden handle and sole of one piece,
and the share is pointed like a nail. The
Ahjuri ard also differs from the Omani ard
documented by Glob (p. 165) which has the
beam and sole from the same log. The Ahjuri
ard differs from examples illustrated for
Palestine (Dalman, vol.II, fig. 22) and for
Iraq (Werth). Without further research it is
difficult to trace the history of the plough in
the highlands of Yemen.
Draught Animals. The bull, donkey, and
camel are the draught animals for the plough
in the Yemeni highlands. On the irrigated
land of al-Ahjur the most common draught
animal is the bull (thawr). A young bull (tabi‘)
is taught to plough from age two. The bulls
are generally not castrated so that they can

Fig. 4. Tilling with a mafras. Photo D.M.V. Bodenbearbeitung mit einem Mafras.