The Museum’s Collection

Extractive Activities

Cereal Cycle

After threshing, a process that consists of dislodging the grain from the ear, the grain is ready to be cleaned in the threshing floor. In this operation, several tools are used: the pitchfork, the "wind-up" shovel and the winnow.

The pitchfork consists of four parallelly-arranged, spindly, flat wooden prongs.

The preparation of the grain cleaning operation begins with this tool, raising all the cereal to the air. It is also used, in the threshing floor, to turn over the straw.

Credits: Madeira Ethnographic Museum