The exploitation of hydraulic energy in the first half of the 16th century in order to power heavy-duty forging hammers was critical for the development of specialized smithies (Smithy) for the production of agricultural cutting tools. This advance freed scythe production at the beginning of the early modern period from the earlier production milieu of small hand forges employing hand hammers and anvils. The basis of this specialization was a steady high demand for premium-quality agricultural tools, generated by the expanding European agricultural region…
Scythe smith(830 words)
Cite this page
Gorißen, Stefan, “Scythe smith”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 02 June 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_SIM_027424>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20210601
▲ Back to top ▲