Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Pala

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

PA'LA. A spade, with an iron blade (Columell. x. 45.), employed both in gardening and husbandry. (Id. v. 9. 8. Varro, L. L. v. 134. Liv. iii. 26. fossam fodiens palae innisus.) The ancient spade was, however, not so heavy an implement as the one now in use, having a longer handle, and smaller, as well as pointed blade, as exhibited by the annexed example (Pala/1.1), from a sepulchral painting of the Christian era. The modern Romans make use of a spade of precisely the same form, which they designate by its ancient name "la pala."

2. (πτύον). A wooden spade, or shovel of the same form as the iron one, employed for winnowing corn, in the same manner as still practised both in Italy and Greece. (Cato, R. R. xi. 5.) It is made use of on the threshing floor, and in the open air when the wind sets in with a moderate freshness. The labourer takes up a shovel-full from the heap of corn already threshed out, and throws it to a considerable distance into the air across the direction of the wind, which separates and carries away with it the lighter particles of chaff and refuse, leaving the heavier grain to fall back upon the floor. The illustration (Pala/2.1) represents an Albanian peasant winnowing corn with a pala in the Etesian wind.

3. (μάνδρα, σφενδόνη, πυελίς). The bezil of a ring. (Cic. Off. iii. 9.) Same as FUNDA, 4. where an illustration is given.

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  Pala/1.1
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  Pala/2.1