Flail 2506590 225984094 2008-07-16T09:29:09Z Peter Isotalo 505774 update dablink :''For other uses, see [[flail (disambiguation)]].'' [[Image:Dreschflegel.jpg|thumb|An example of a grain flail]] A '''flail''' is an [[agriculture|agricultural]] tool used for [[threshing]], to separate [[cereal|grain]]s from their husks. It is usually made from two or more sticks attached by a short chain ; one stick is held and swung, causing the other to strike a pile of grain, loosening the husks. The precise dimensions and shape of a flail would have been developed by generations of farmers to suit the particular grain they were harvesting. For example, flails used by farmers in [[Quebec]] to process [[wheat]] were generally made from two pieces of wood, the handle being about 1.5 m long by 3 cm in diameter, and the second stick being about 1 m long by about 3 cm in diameter, with a slight taper towards the end. Flails for other grains, such as [[rice]] or [[spelt]], would have had different dimensions. [[Image:Battage à Fléau.jpg|thumb|French peasants threshing with flails around 1270.]] Flails have generally fallen into disuse in many nations because of the availability of technologies such as [[combine harvester]]s that require much less manual labour. But in many places, such as [[Minnesota]], [[wild rice]] can only be harvested using manual means, specifically through the use of a [[canoe]] and a flail that is made of smooth, round wood no more than 30 inches long.<ref> {{cite web | url = http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/hunting/2005/wild_rice.pdf | title = Minnesota Wild Rice Harvest regulations | work = Minnesota Department of Natural Resources }}</ref> ==Non-agricultural uses== {{seealso|Flail (weapon)}} As with most agricultural tools, flails were often used as weapons by farmers who may have lacked better weapons. The [[French Revolution]] was mostly fought with agricultural tools. The flail is proposed as one of the origins of the two-piece baton known in the [[Okinawan_kobud%C5%8D|kobudo]] weapon system as the [[nunchaku]]. [[Image:Crook and flail.svg|thumb|left|100px|The crook and flail depicted in ancient Egyptian art.]] The flail is depicted alongside the shepherd’s “crook” as symbols of office for the crowned [[Ancient Egypt|Egyptian]] [[Pharaoh]]. The flail symbolises the Pharaoh's role as provider of food for his people and the crook symbolises his role as the shepherd of his people. Both crook and flail also serve to link the Pharaoh with [[Osiris]]. The Egyptians also used flails to hurt enemy captives or slaves. Because of this flails were considered a sign of power, Pharaohs would hold flails. <br clear="all"> ==References== <div class="references-small"> <references /> </div> ==External links== * [http://www.antiquefarmtools.info/ Antique Farm Tools] * [http://history.powys.org.uk/school1/agriculture/terms.shtml Agriculture in Victorian Times] * [http://rice.egimje.net/eng/dojak/relic/iba_10.jsp Picture of one kind of rice flail] [[Category:Gardening tools]] [[Category:Egyptian artefact types]] [[Category:Mechanical hand tools]] [[cs:Cep]] [[pdc:Fleggel]] [[de:Dreschflegel]] [[es:Mayal]] [[eo:Draŝilo]] [[fr:Fléau (agriculture)]] [[gl:Mallo]] [[he:מורג (כלי חקלאי)]] [[nl:Dorsvlegel]] [[ja:フレイル]] [[nn:Slegel]] [[pl:Cep (narzędzie)]] [[pt:Mangual]] [[ru:Цеп]] [[fi:Varsta]] [[sv:Slaga]] [[bat-smg:Špragėls]] [[zh:連枷]]