pitchfork

MCUT 4169

Object type pitchfork

Fabric Iberian metallurgy

Culture/period Protohistory and Iberian world

Materials iron

Technique forging

Mint

Production date -125 / -75

Museum Museu comarcal de l'Urgell-Tàrrega

Current location Exposició permanent

Archaeological site Missatges

Township Claravalls (Europa, Espanya, Catalunya, Lleida, Urgell)

Dimensions 210 x 295 x 294 mm

Description

Iron tool for agricultural use, trident-shaped, characterized by a tubular hafting area (slightly damaged) and three pointed spikes. Note that this tool, robust and heavy, exceptionally preserved, appeared together with another similar (but in a worse state), forming part of a fill in one of the Ibero-Roman silos at Missatges (Claravalls), disused in the late second century BC or early first century. These are two pieces for a type of manual use, very rare in the Iberian world and with a late chronology. Originally, each would be complemented with a long wooden handle that would form a right angle with respect to the iron part. The inclination of this element, along with other features such as the width of the tips (rectangular) and the considerable weight of the tools indicate that these forks could be useful in various functions, such as digging compact soils or to handle manure.

Omeka ID 1211