Laias (pairs of foot ploughs)

A laia is a kind of hand-held foot plough. They were used in pairs, one in each hand. The laia was driven into the ground and pushed down with the foot. The clod of earth was then levered up and turned. Generally, several people would work together, forming a line across the field and working backwards. Two different types of laia were used, depending on the type of soil to be ploughed. The type found in the Atlantic valleys is narrow and thin and has a short shaft. In the central districts of Alava and Navarre the shaft is longer, the barbs shorter and the bridge between them is wider.

This shape is a local variant, which is widely used, especially in the Cantabrian area. Although it is considered to be a very old invention, preceding the use of livestock for ploughing, use of the foot plough extended from the seventeenth century with the cultivation of corn, since it made it possible to plough small plots on steep slopes without the clods of earth sliding downhill.

In the picture, a pair of laias from Middle Navarre and two of the Atlantic type. The Provincial Government of Gipuzkoa has a collection of 71 laias.

Bibliography:

Leizaola, Fermín de. Burdina: Burdingintza eta forjaketa tradizionala : [Gipuzkoako Foru Aldundiaren Kultur Departamentuak Antolatutako Erakusketa] = Hierro : Ferrería y Forja Tradicional : [exposición...]. [San Sebastián]: Diputación Foral de Guipúzcoa, Departamento de Cultura, Educación, Deportes y Turismo. 1989. 43-44.

Garmendia Larrañaga, Juan.. De etnografía vasca : (cuatro ensayos) : el caserío, ritos fúnebres, galera del boyero, las ferrerías. [San Sebastián] : Caja de Ahorros Provincial de Guipúzcoa, 1976. 38-42.

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