| Invention Name | Plow (Plough) |
|---|---|
| Short Definition | Soil-working tool that opens a furrow |
| Approximate Date / Period | c. 6000–4000 BCE ApproximateDetails |
| Geography | Early: Mesopotamia • Later: many regions |
| Inventor / Source Culture | Anonymous / collective |
| Category | Agriculture • land preparation |
| Importance | • larger fields • steadier planting beds |
| Origin Need | Soil opening • seed placement • water flow |
| How It Works | Cut • lift • turn • shape a furrow |
| Material / Tech Base | Wood • stone • iron • later steel |
| East Asia Milestone | 475–221 BCE: iron plow in N. Henan DocumentedDetails |
| Seed-Plow Evidence | c. 1300–1100 BCE: plow + sowing tube ApproximateDetails |
| Medieval Shift | Early 8th–late 9th c.: heavy plow spreads ApproximateDetails |
| Steel Plow Landmark | 1837: “steel plow” recorded RecordedDetails |
| Derived Developments | Seed drills • harrows • cultivators • mechanized tillage |
| Impact Areas | food systems • settlement • trade • education |
| Debates / Notes | “First plow” depends on region and evidence |
| Predecessors → Successors | Digging stick/hoe → ard → mouldboard → mechanized plows |
| Influenced Variations | Ard • mouldboard • disc • chisel • reversible • subsoiler |
A plow is a simple idea with a long life. It turns human effort into a clean line in the soil. That line matters. It shapes planting, water movement, and how fields are organized. Across centuries, the plow kept changing—wood to iron, iron to steel, animal power to machines—yet the core job stayed clear: open the ground and prepare it for crops.
Table of Contents
What It Is
Plain Meaning
- A plow is pulled through soil to create a furrow.
- Some plows scratch the surface. Others turn the soil over.
- The word may appear as plow or plough. Same tool, different spelling.
In practice, a plow is defined by its soil action. A light ard cuts a shallow groove. A mouldboard plow lifts and rolls the slice, leaving a clear ridge-and-furrow pattern. Many later designs focus on depth, residue handling, or keeping the tool steady.
Early Evidence and Timeline
The plow is not a single “one-day” invention. It is a chain of improvements. Evidence comes from texts, art, and surviving parts. That evidence is uneven, so dates often stay approximate.
| Period | Common Form | What Changed |
|---|---|---|
| Early farming eras | Ard (scratch plow) | Shallow groove; soil loosened, not fully turned |
| Classical centuries | Iron-tipped plows | Harder cutting edges; longer service life |
| Early medieval centuries | Mouldboard + stronger frames | Deeper work in heavier soils; more complete turn |
| Industrial era | Cast iron and steel parts | Smoother surfaces; better flow of soil over the board |
| Mechanized age | Tractor-mounted families | Higher power; wider coverage; more specialized designs |
Why “First” Is Hard to Prove
- Early plows used wood, which rarely survives.
- Art shows forms, not always the full tool.
- Different regions solved different soil problems, so “first” can mean first of a type.
How the Plow Works
Think of the plow as controlled cutting. A front edge slices into soil. The tool then guides the loosened slice along a shaped surface. In a mouldboard design, that surface rolls the soil to the side, creating a neat furrow wall and a turned strip.
Soil Actions
- Cut: breaks the surface line
- Lift: raises the slice
- Fracture: crumbles clods
- Turn: flips soil in mouldboard types
What the Furrow Does
- Creates a planting line
- Shapes water paths on the surface
- Moves residues depending on the plow type
- Leaves a repeatable field pattern
Parts and Names
A plow is easier to understand when each part has a name. Names vary by region, yet the main pieces stay recognizable. The list below uses widely shared terms from mouldboard and related designs.
| Part | Role | Simple Note |
|---|---|---|
| Plowshare (share) | Main cutting edge | Starts the furrow |
| Coulter (optional) | Vertical knife ahead of share | Cleaner slice in sod |
| Mouldboard | Lifts and rolls soil | Defines the turn |
| Landside | Stabilizes against side force | Keeps line straight |
| Beam | Main backbone | Connects to pull |
| Hitch | Connection point | Animal or machine |
| Handles (some types) | Guidance and control | Common on older forms |
| Wheels (some types) | Depth support | Often in heavier plows |
Materials and Design Shifts
Early plows relied on wood because it was available and easy to shape. Cutting edges gradually gained stone or iron tips. Later, smoother metal surfaces mattered more than people might expect. When soil slides cleanly over a board, the plow keeps its rhythm.
Self-Scouring, in Simple Words
Self-scouring describes a surface that sheds soil instead of holding it. A polished board leaves fewer places for sticky earth to cling, so the plow can keep a steady cut.
Types and Variations
There is no single “one true” plow. Designs match soil, crops, and farming traditions. Some types aim for a light touch. Others are built for a full soil roll. The table below groups the most common families in clear terms.
| Type | Main Soil Effect | Clear Identifier |
|---|---|---|
| Ard (scratch plow) | Shallow cut; minimal turning | Simple frame; older tradition |
| Mouldboard Plow | Turns the slice to one side | Curved board that rolls soil |
| Reversible Plow | Turns soil alternately left/right | Two sets of boards |
| Disc Plow | Cuts with rotating discs; partial mixing | Round concave discs |
| Chisel Plow | Deep loosening; less inversion | Shanks with narrow points |
| Subsoiler | Very deep loosening below topsoil | Long shanks; no full turn |
| Plow-and-Sow (historic) | Opens furrow and drops seed | Tube or channel for seed |
Where Plows Traveled
Plow history is also travel history. An early ard fits dry ground and light soils. A heavier mouldboard form becomes valuable in denser soils. East Asia developed iron plows early, and Europe later refined heavy frames and field systems. Over time, similar needs produced different shapes, and those shapes sometimes crossed borders through trade and shared craft.
Related articles: Horse Collar [Medieval Inventions Series], Heavy Plow [Medieval Inventions Series]
Light-Soil Tradition
- Ard family
- Less turning, more scratching
- Often paired with other tools for finer work
Heavy-Soil Tradition
- Mouldboard family
- More complete inversion
- Often combined with wheels or stronger frames
What It Changed
The plow helped farming scale up. Fields became more regular. Work could be planned around clear rows and repeatable passes. In many places, the plow also shaped how communities shared labor and how land was divided. The tool looks humble, yet its influence reaches into food supply, settlement, and long-term craft traditions.
Signals of a Mature Plow System
- Standard part names like share and mouldboard
- Specialized types for different soils
- Toolkits that pair plows with harrows and other finish tools
- Design attention to friction and smooth soil flow
Plow Words and Meanings
Plow language is surprisingly precise. A furrow is the trench left behind. The share is the front cutter. The mouldboard is the shaped surface that rolls soil. These words spread because the tool spread, and because farmers needed clean terms for parts that behave differently in different soils.
FAQ
What is the difference between a plow and a plough?
Plow is the common spelling in American English. Plough is widely used in British and Commonwealth English. The meaning is the same.
What is an ard?
An ard is a scratch plow. It opens a shallow groove and loosens soil without a strong rolling action. It is one of the most enduring early forms of the plow.
What makes a mouldboard plow different?
A mouldboard plow is shaped to lift and roll a slice of soil to one side. That rolling action is the signature. It leaves a clear furrow and a turned strip.
Why do some plows have wheels?
Wheels help support weight and stabilize depth. They appear more often in heavier designs, where steadiness improves the shape of the furrow and reduces unwanted drift.
What does “self-scouring” mean in plow design?
Self-scouring refers to a surface that sheds soil instead of collecting it. A smoother board often keeps soil moving, which helps the plow maintain an even flow.
Did the plow exist in only one place at the start?
The basic idea—pull a cutter through soil—appears early in more than one region. What can be tracked with confidence is evidence: surviving parts, texts, and images. Because early frames were often wooden, the story stays partial in many places.