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A man collecting his harvest using an ancient reaping-machine.

Ancient Reaping-machine

A man collecting his harvest using an ancient reaping-machine.

A man reaping grain with a sickle.

Reaping

A man reaping grain with a sickle.

Men and women reap the grain from a field in the 14th century. Two women are bent over using sickles to cut the grain. One man stands behind them, gathering the reaped grain. He has a sickle tucked in his belt. A second man oversees the scene with his hands on his hips. A bundle of grain sits in the background. The original image is pictured in an old psalter.

Reaping Grain the 14th Century

Men and women reap the grain from a field in the 14th century. Two women are bent over using sickles…

"Hussey's Reaping-machine (cutting part)." — Chambers, 1881

Reaping-machine

"Hussey's Reaping-machine (cutting part)." — Chambers, 1881

"And she went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on the portion of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, Jehovah be with you. And they answered him, Jehovah bless thee. Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this? And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab:" Ruth 2:3-6 ASV <p>Illustration of Ruth gleaning grain in the fields of Boaz. She is on her knees at the feet of Boaz, who walks with a staff and a dog behind him. His servant tells him about Ruth. Four men and women, also gleaning, watch in the background. A small town and some trees are pictured in the background.

Ruth Meets Boaz While Gleaning in the Fields

"And she went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on the…

"A reaping hook; a curved blade of steel (anciently also of bronze) having the edge on the inner side of the curve, with a short handle or haft, for cutting with the right hand grain or grass which is grasped by the left." &mdash;Whitney, 1889 <p>This sickle has a serrated edge on the inside curve of the blade.

Sickle with Serrated Edge

"A reaping hook; a curved blade of steel (anciently also of bronze) having the edge on the inner side…

Two men thresh a sheaf of wheat using flails. The flails appear to be made from two sticks joined together at a bendable joint. The men are beating the grain. One man's flail is in the air, while the other man's flail hits the bundle of wheat. Both are wearing short, belted tunics and knee length pants. The original drawing is from a 14th century psalter called "The Luttrell Psalter".

Threshing Wheat with Flails in the 14th Century

Two men thresh a sheaf of wheat using flails. The flails appear to be made from two sticks joined together…