Hoe Handle and Blade

• Title Hoe Handle and Blade
• Category Utilitarian
• Medium Wood and Iron
• Dimensions 11"h x 6"w
• Year Completed undated
• Description The hoe has a rounded locally crafted wooden handle while the iron blade was purchased in a hardware store or market. In the past, local or travelling iron workers forged the metal which was then processed into the tools by a blacksmith. All across sub-Saharan Africa, farmers practice slash and burn cultivation. Using a machete, men clear the brush or chop down trees. Once the debris has dried, the plant material is burned to clear the land and deposit a layer of fertilizer in the form of ash. Then, people (usually women) use a hoe such as this to ready the soil for planting. The short handle and sturdy iron blade allow the user to dig deep into the soil preparing it for planting.
• Artist Sub-Saharan Africa
• Credit John and Janet Yoder Collection
• Location Library Art Storage G8
• Accession Number 2022.0207.a-b
• Status Available Request this art work
  
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