Iron Tools

The introduction of iron as a material for traditional farming tools, particularly the plough, improved the efficiency of farming and allowed farmers to meet a growing demand for crops. The basic plough was known as the 'ard' and was a simple soil-breaking tool pulled by animals, normally oxen. By introducing an iron ploughshare to the point of the ard, the tool became far more effective; it was able to dig deeper grooves in the soil and wore out less frequently.