Pitchfork, 1800-1900

Forks worked as extensions of farmers' arms, allowing them to skewer, lift, and move larger quantities of grain, straw or hay than they could do with just their hands. This fork started as a small tree (the trunk is the handle) with four branches, transformed into four tines, or points (one of which has broken off). Farmers used a four-tine fork like this to move loose hay or straw.