Scythe

A scythe and a sickle.

A scythe (pronounced /ˈsaɪð/, from Old English siðe.^[1]) is an agricultural tool for mowing grass or reaping crops. It was replaced by horse-drawn machines and then tractors, but is still used in some areas of Europe and Asia.

Scythe Media

Typical stance; the pouch at belt contains a whetstone.
Parts of a scythe:*Template:Image key
A modern scythe of a pattern common in parts of Europe
The occasional addition of a cradle aligns the seed heads and makes picking up and winnowing easier.
Men working in a field near Fort Frances, between 1900 and 1909
Neolithic rock engraving depicting scythes, Norway
Early Medieval scythe blade from the Merovingian site Kerkhove-Kouter in Belgium (collection number: RAMS00393)
1. Start of the stroke after stepping forward into the swathe. Mowing rye in 1945.
2. Swinging left into the cut and deepening the swathe

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