牛車：麦の文化

10月25日(木)快晴

古代エジプトが起源の麦の文化は種蒔き(面蒔き)の粗放農業で、牛・馬・羊を農耕や種蒔き後の地ならしや運搬・肥料に利用します。日本では馬を農耕用と軍事用に輸入しましたが、現在では競馬用に少数飼育されているだけ。絵で見ると平安貴族の牛車は水牛のようです。しかし水牛の本場の東南アジアでも近年では、従順で肉牛としても優秀なコブ牛に地位を奪われつつあります。

日本の牛車

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Ox-cart
Thu. October 25 : fine

The culture of wheat that has started in ancient Egypt is characterized by plane sowing and extensive agriculture. The people use oxen, horses, and sheep for plowing, covering seeds with soil, and fertilizing. Japan imported horses for plowing and using as the war horses but nowadays only some race horses are raised. As we can see in the old pictures the noblemen in Heian era used water buffalos for carrying the carts. However, the water buffalos are been depriving their position by hump oxen that are more obedient and useful for beef even in East-south Asia.

Japanese ox-cart