Debulha dos cereais (Cereal threshing)

Executavam em eiras a separação dos grãos de cereais dos caules ou palha. Desfaziam os feixes preparados pelos ceifeiros e espalhavam os caules na eira antes de os homens os malharem ou de animais os trilharem. Os processos tradicionais europeus compreendiam vários objectos: pá, malho ou mangual (principalmente para centeio e milho), o trilho. Terminada esta fase atiravam os grãos ao ar com uma pá para o vento afastar os detritos leves. Juntavam os grãos com um rado. A mais antiga debulhadora inventou-a Andrew Meikle, engenheiro escocês em 1784. Posteriormente enfardavam a palha. Mais tarde apareceram as ceifeiras-debulhadoras.


The separation of cereal grains from stalks or straw was performed on a threshing floor. They undid the bundles prepared by the reapers and spread the stalks on the threshing floor before they were thrashed by workers or tread out by animals. In European traditional processes various objects were used: a shovel, a mallet or flail (mainly for rye and maize), a board. Once this phase was over, the grains were tossed with a shovel so that the light detritus could be removed by the wind. The grains were gathered with a rake. The oldest threshing machine was invented by Andrew Meikle, Scottish engineer, in 1784. Later the straw was baled. The combine harvester appeared later.

Unknown-´threshing machine'-1881 Dictionnaire d'Arts Industrielles

Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (1746-1828)-'threshing floor or summer'-oil on canvas-(1786-1787) Madrid-Museo del Prado

Sergey Vinogradov (1869-1938)-'threshing floor'-oil on canvas-1916 Nukus (Uzbekistan)-Savitsky Art Museum

William Brassey Hole (1846-1917)-'King David purchasig the threshing floor (2 Samuel, XXIV, 20-25)'-oil on canvas Private collection

Ludovic Bassarab (1868-1933)-'threshing'-oil on plywood-ca 1934

Cultivation of cereals

Farming 

The Greek legends attribute the invention of agriculture to Demeter, Roman Ceres, probably with a Proto-Indo-European root, with the meaning of growth. It originated the word cereal, the basis of human food as it provides calories and protein. These herbaceous plants produce ears with grains.


As lendas gregas atribuem a invenção da agricultura a Deméter, Ceres romana de raiz provavelmente proto-indo-europeia com o significado de crescimento. Originou a palavra cereal, base da alimentação humana por fornecer calorias e proteínas. Estas plantas herbáceas produzem espigas com grãos.

Farming in Egypt

 Painting from the tomb of Sennedjem (19th dynasty) necropolis of Deir el-Medina (TT1)

Medieval farming 

Duc de Berry  Les très riches heures Chantilly Musée Condé

Da Costa hours (ca 1515) Ms M 399 New Yok Pierpont Morgan Library illuminations of Simon Bening (1483-1561)

Farming in the 19th century

Rosa Bonheur (1822-1899) farming in Nivernais (Nevers) oil on canvas, Paris Musée d'Orsay