Leveler

Namtae is a leveler used for breaking clods or flattening the soil to prevent the seeds sown on fields from being blown by the wind. It was used mostly in Jeju Island. More than thirty wooden sticks were densely driven into the wooden body, both ends of which had metal loops for threading rope so that cows could pull the leveler or it could be dragged by placing the rope on the user’s shoulders. Commonly used for growing hog millet and millet, this tool was drawn on the ground to level the soil after seeds were sown, which prevented the seeds from being blown by the wind. Flattening the soil, as a result, kept the moisture in the field from evaporating. Doltae is similar to namtae, except that the former was made of stone and did not have sticks inserted into the body. When it was difficult to pierce the stone, an iron loop was fixed to either end of the body and a rope was tied to them.