Photograph of a winnowing scene no. 052

Photograph of a winnowing scene, outside the village of Kioneli (Gönyeli). The photograph was taken in 1948 by Nidai Arabacıali, Kioneli (Gönyeli). In the middle distance there are trees and the village houses, and also a threshing scene, with the Keryneia mountain range in the background. Threshing, the separating of the grain from the straw, took place on the threshing floor, where the sheaves of the cut wheat were taken. Here we see two animals dragging a threshing board (Turk. düven, TCy düğen, Greek doukáni = threshing sledge); this sledge, studded with flints, was tied to the yoke of the animals, which were driven around on the threshing floor. The main scene in the foreground is winnowing, which followed after threshing. For winnowing to begin, a favourable wind, blowing from North to South (to Mecca), was necessary; thus, winnowing started when summer breezes (meltem = off-shore breeze that blows daily for a period in summer) started; the farmers, using large forks (dirgen), tossed the grain and chaff into the air so that the chaff was blown away by the wind and the grain fell on the ground; this motion is clearly seen in the photograph as the men throw chaff and grain to the Northeast. This is the first winnowing after threshing the harman (heap of grain for threshing, mixture) on the threshing floor; a second winnowing of the grain followed, and then the grain was put through a sieve (kalbur = rimmed sieve with coarse meshes). In the photograph there are four workmen from Kioneli (Gönyeli), and their names are: Tuvzuz, Aziz Gara Hasan, Garagöz Ömer and Davulcu Mehmet Ali. All of them wear trousers and white shirts; for protection from the hot sun, their heads are covered with white scarves or hats. They also wear leather peasants’ top boots. No woman is seen in the field. Information offered by Nebile Dayı and Hasan Dayı. Source of the photograph: Aşkın Dervişoğluları. Village: Kioneli (Gönyeli), Nicosia District.