Threshing fell in July, giving this month the name Thresher. Hesiod prescribes that threshing should commence at the heliacal rising of Betelgeuse (Orion), which is about June 20.
Threshing in preindustrial Greece was a crucial agricultural practice that marked the end of the harvest season and ensured that the grain would be ready for consumption and storage for the year to come.
After harvest, grains were cut and gathered into sheaves. These sheaves were then transported to a threshing floor, or aloni, a flat, circular area often made of hard-packed earth or stone. The aloni was an important communal space in the village, often located on a hillside to catch the breeze, which would later aid in winnowing.
The primary method of threshing involved spreading the sheaves on the aloni and using animals, typically oxen or mules, to trample over them. The animals would pull a wooden sledge, called a "threshing board" or "threshing sledge," equipped with sharp stones or metal blades embedded on the underside. This process broke the stalks and freed the grain from the husks.
Following the trampling, the next step was winnowing, a task performed using large wooden forks or shovels. The threshed grain and chaff were tossed into the air, allowing the lighter chaff to be blown away by the wind, while the heavier grain fell back to the ground. This winnowing process was repeated until the grain was sufficiently clean.
The threshing is finished by July 20 (the feast of the Prophet Elijah, or Elias) or at the latest, by July 26 (the feast of St. Paraskevi) on the mainland. Generally, July 20, which also coincides with the rising of Sirius, is the deadline for threshing; after this date St. Elias is said to cause the winds to “burst” and wreak havoc for late threshers.
Threshing in preindustrial Greece was labor-intensive and required the cooperation of many villagers, making it a significant social event as well. It often included communal meals and festive activities, reinforcing social bonds and communal ties as well as being tied to many fables and lore around fertility, good luck and abundance. For example, the practice of offering the first bread baked of the new crop or leaving a piece at the village fountain, causing good luck to flow as do the fountain's waters.
Despite its laborious nature, threshing was a time of celebration and relief, marking the successful culmination of the agricultural cycle and the promise of sustenance for the coming year.
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