The last authentic six-ox medieval plow in action

Hi!

I found this old documentary, showing authentic medieval plowing with a wooden plow and six oxen in 1978 in Pribelja, Bosnia, in its very last practice in history.

LINK

it’s a facebook video. click on the second video from the top, (the bigger one). it lasts about 19 minutes, no subtitles. they start yoking up at about 5 minutes after vid start.

background:
At the time the tractors were already widespread, but in a small, remote valley, there was a last demonstration of an ancient technology: a wooden plow with six oxen.

It is kinda sad, form today’ s perspective, to see oxen plowing in an all-wooden plow, and down the valley, new red tractors are breaking up soil.
There is still a lot of livestock in the fields.
At the end of this movie, owner of the middle pair announced he’d sell his pair so there won’t be any plowing possible. Six oxen were used because of the heavy and soaked soil, they needed a lot of traction.
The plow entire plow (minus coulter and plow share) , tongues, connections, rings, all are made of wood.
It’s truly a medieval plow. But it works surprisingly well!

Before the plowing certain ceremonies and customes are preformed, in hope of bringing good luck and ensuring good harvest.
„Kako ovo jaje pogodilo, tako žito rodilo!“ „How this egg hits may the grain yield!“ with these words he flungs the egg against

So Customs include throwing an egg to break on first right ox (he is the most important ox) for good harvest. 8:17
They give the oxen eggs (?)

Women adorne the oxen

„Be it so we earn in good health and spend in happy times“
At last the fistfull of grain is thrown over the entire span, oxen and plow, with words: „prva radja!“, meaning: first one bears fruit! (harvest)
Let’s go brothers, happy be in ye steps!
one says as the span starts making it to the field.

In plowing, one is holding the plow and other one is steering the plow via a vertical stick he’s holding, to steer it left or right, and also to prod the oxen with another one.

Since the plank is wooden, the plowman also keeps a wooden spade with which he scrapes off dirt that got cought on the plank.

Pairs:
Leads – the strongest pair, the right lead ox is the smartest ox, he walks in the furrow. His teamamate is paired to be weaker, and so that he doesn’t try to push th right lead ox out of the furrow.

Last pair – slosest to the plow, the most sluggish ones. There for ease of prodding
Middle pair – usually younger oxen in training for that year, they’ll be promoted to lead oxen or last pair, based on their preformance.

After the plowing, there is a good lunch for plowmen, relatives, newighbours and friends.

This old documentary shows why cattle were so prized and important in old ages.

Enjoy, dear friends, this is RARE!;)