Moldboard

__Moldboard__ The moldboard was a type of heavy plow that was introduced in Northern/Western Europe in the 9th century. Its key feature was a curved iron plate that allowed for deeper cultivation of heavier soil. Earlier plows adapted from Mediterranean models were too light to effectively work the heavy soil in places like France or Germany. The moldboard would have been used by people like serfs. The moldboard was a technological innovation that fixed this problem and allowed for a growth in the productivity of agriculture in this area during the Middle Ages.

Unit 3 terms

by: Hampton Webb - 10/22/08 Edited by Becca Ellison 10/22/08