Thursday 18 April 2013

Quiz

Does anyone know what this is used for? There are references to them in the bible and although I saw this one in La Mancha, it is not exclusively Spanish.
It is approximately 2 meters high x 1 meter wide. Comments with the correct answer will not be shown until I give the answer on Saturday. 
Several blogging friends have asked about the white things sticking out - these are knapped flint stones.

45 comments:

  1. I don't have the slightest idea, Rosemary!

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    1. Someone is bound to get it correct, especially from one of the countries where they were used.

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  2. Never seen one of these before... could it be an old fasioned wash board? (for washing clothes, in the good old days...)

    Are those white things whale's teeth? Maybe it's a grater of some kind, or something they make you sit on for four hours if you have been naughty!

    CIAO!

    ANNA
    xx

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    1. Hello Anna - love the idea of it being a naughty seat.
      The inserts are not whale's teeth but knapped flint stones.
      Thanks for trying - Ciao.

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  3. I have absolutely no idea but it looks very intruiging! x

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    1. I have only see one other and that happened to be in Spain too.

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  4. Hello Rosemary, My guess is that it has an agricultural use of some kind. I take it those white things are sharp stones?

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    1. Hello Jim - you are right about the stones they are knapped flints - and you are heading along the right lines.

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  5. I wonder if it's an almond press (although it doesn't look very sturdy for that process)?

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    1. Not an almond press Linda - thanks for giving it a go.

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  6. Hm, from what you tell us, it is a utensil but too big to hold. It's probably not something that lies down cause you say 2 metres "high".... And what are those white things sticking out? No clue sofar! Is it for rubbing something against? But what? ..... I wonder.....
    Marian

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    1. Dear Marian - you are heading in the right direction - the white things sticking out are knapped flint - I will add that information to the post.

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  7. "Curiouser and curiouser" as Alice said. I can't wait to know what the answer is for this strange looking thing. Given the dimensions I'd say some sort of torture device maybe but hope not.

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    1. No Paula, you are right it is not a torture device - Anna thought along similar lines, she thought it was a naughty seat.

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  8. No, not a clue.... I will await the answer with bated breath, Rosemary. :-)

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  9. This is hard! Is it something that has to do with carding wool?

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    1. Not carding wool but a very good attempt.

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  10. Hello Rosemary, It is used to attract bees to improve pollination of crops.

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    1. Hello Gina - an original idea but sorry not this time.

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  11. No idea! I will wait for the answer!
    June

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  12. O Rosemary, you gave it away with the 'knapped flints' addition to your tips. I would never have found it otherwise I think. It's a treshing board isn't it? To separate the cereal from the straws? But you first put me on the wrong track by saying it was 2 metres 'high' instead of 'long' so I thought it was something standing up when in use. It was in fact lying face down on the grain and pulled over it to separate the cereals from it, while someone was sitting on the board or weight was put on it. Not easy though this quiz;-)
    Marian

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  13. Dear Rosemary, I'm guessing that this was used for threshing.

    Mark

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  14. No clue, but I have to say, the device is a little scary looking. Hoping it was used for agricultural purposes, and not during the Inquisition! :)

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  15. I think it's for threshing grain. The flints would have originally been sticking out more but have been worn down as it was dragged around on a pile of wheat or barley by a donkey or ox. I think!

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  16. Haven't got a clue Rosemary. I can try and find out on the internet, but......

    Looking forward to hear what it is in your next post.

    Madelief x

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    1. Dear Madelief - the sunshine and blue skies are too lovely to spend time searching the internet.

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  17. Dear Rosemary,
    I'm stumped. I did think something to do with carding wool but I see that 'Pondside' already suggested that.
    I wonder whether it might have been something to do with grain harvesting: separating it from the stalks or the chaff. . .
    Bye for now
    Kirk

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    1. You say you are stumped Kirk but you have the right answer

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  18. I am going to guess. probably to dry the meat or fish on.
    way off i am sure. i thought it might be a thrasher for linen..
    or for the horses to brush their bodies on.. Had a try! (with some laughter)..should have read my bible better.

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    1. I thought that there might still be some of these hanging around in Portugal - I agree it would be a good thing for the horses to brush their bodies on if it wasn't so sharp. Thanks for giving it a try.

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  19. Dear Rosemary, I have no clue at all! The photos though are very artistic and I am terribly curious what it is! Thanks for your comment on my today's post! You are correct it is all so clear and fresh on Skye and very intense. Christa

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    1. Hello Christa - so lovely to have you back. It was an artistic piece of equipment and from that point of view nice to photograph.

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  20. I must wait till Saturday :) Never seen something like this ...

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    1. I have only seen two and both times in Spain - although there was a period when they were used all over the mediterranean.

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  21. Rosemary - does it have anything to do with curing hides?

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    1. Thanks for trying Susan - that is an original idea.

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  22. Don't have a clue as to what they are....I shall await your answer :)

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  23. Fascinating Rosemary. I saw one of these last Spring in a shop in Sussex, we wondered what it might be and none of our wild and wacky ideas came close to what you have revealed here:)

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    1. I wonder if it was expensive? - they are now very collectible and sought after - imagine seeing one in Sussex, I suspect it had been imported from Spain or Portugal.

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