Excavation within the Cistercian Abbey of Bective, Co. Meath, recovered 67 plough pebbles, some of which come from a sealed and burned 13th-century context, suggesting that the pebbles in this instance are all that remains of the plough... more
Excavation within the Cistercian Abbey of Bective, Co. Meath, recovered 67 plough pebbles, some of which come from a sealed and burned 13th-century context, suggesting that the pebbles in this instance are all that remains of the plough the used them.
The paper presents an update (2009) on the use of plough pebbles in Ireland; small stones fitted to the base of timber ploughs to act as an anti-wear device that would slow down the deterioration of the timber frame where it came into... more
The paper presents an update (2009) on the use of plough pebbles in Ireland; small stones fitted to the base of timber ploughs to act as an anti-wear device that would slow down the deterioration of the timber frame where it came into contact with the soil. In Ireland, plough pebbles remain a thirteenth-century phenomenon and consequently are a key indicator of dating when found in context.
