Catalogue et étude des faux et des outils agricoles de coupe à lame et à manche entiers en Gaule

Abstract

research presents a study of scythes and sharp-edged, bladed, handled agricultural tools from Gaul, based on a survey of archaeological finds. This survey deals only with completely preserved objects and represents the only catalogue of Gallo-Roman scythes to date. This catalogue contains 27 entries of scythes, representing in all 40 entries. These implements have been assessed according to the way they were supposedly used: either frontal cutting tools or lateral cutting tools. The genuine scythe is used in a lateral way, which reduces the effort of the used. The genuine lateral cutting scythe appeared in Noricum around the end of the Iron Age, which could explain the late arrival of those scythes in Gaul (1-2th century A C). Comparative studies of scythes from Great Britain, Austria, South Eastern Europe, Northern Gaul, and Germany show some similarities between some scythes from Great Britain, Gaul and Noricum. Contains an Appendix presenting a technical study of working with a scythe and an examination of how the tool is used.--Publisher's web site.