Middle and Late Bronze Age Metal Tools from the Aegean, Eastern ...

hoes/plowshares were preferred in both regions; Cyprus yielded 33 sickles and 35
plowshare/hoe objects from the LBA while Syria-Palestine produced 14 sickles and 16
plowshares/hoes from the same period (Fig. 3.9d, f). 155 Cyprus produced other evidence
for plowshares including three castings and a metal mold. 156 There are other agricultural
similarities between Cyprus and the Levant; an Ugaritic shovel has its parallel with
Cypriot types. 157 Deshayes identified a blade from Ras Shamra as a pruning knife. 158 This
specialized blade (also found on Crete) cut the stem of grapes to limit the flow of water
and also grafted fruit trees. The use of such a tool suggests certain agricultural products,
specifically wine and raisins. The Syro-Palestinian knife resembles the ‘pruning hooks’
from Cyprus and the Gelidonya shipwreck. 159
Both Cypriot and Syro-Palestinian agrarian
implements are primarily found in large palatial or urban sites, thus cementing the related
agricultural profiles of the two regions.
Metal farming items were restricted to privileged personnel (at least on the Greek
mainland, Cyprus and Syria-Palestine) because of their cost and the availability and
effectiveness of traditional wood and stone tools. The prestige given to agricultural metal
tools is substantiated by cultic deposits. Six tools came from Cypriot and Anatolian
sanctuaries, and a miniature, possibly votive, sickle was recovered at Enkomi.
plowshare castings found underneath Temple 4 at Kition formed a foundation/votive
155
These numbers do not include the general second millennium agricultural tools from Syria-Palestine (2
sickles and a plowshare).
156
Plowshare castings are found in the Kition foundation and Mathiati hoards (Karageorghis and Demas
1985, 109, plate 88.4, 6; Catling 1964, 284, plate 51g). The plowshare mold comes from the Enkomi
Gunnis hoard (Catling 1964, 281-282).
157
Galliano and Calvet 2004, 189 entry 176 and 254 entry 296.
158
Deshayes 1960, catalogue entry 2865.
159
In addition to the quantity of pruning hooks reported in Figures 3.9d and 3.9f, there is a metal pruning
hook mold from the Mathiati hoard on Cyprus; see Catling 1964, 282-284, plate 50b.
160
Dikaios 1969, plate 147.45a, figure 176.47.
160
Two
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