Tumbrel
A tumbrel (alternatively tumbril) is a two-wheeled cart or wagon typically designed to be hauled by a single horse or ox. Their original use was for agricultural work; in particular they were associated with carrying manure. Their most infamous use was taking prisoners to the guillotine during the French Revolution.[1][2] They were also used by the military for hauling supplies.[2] In this use, the carts were sometimes covered. The two wheels allowed the cart to be tilted to discharge its load more easily.[3][2] Many tumbrels also had hinged tailboards for the same reason.
The word is also used as a name for the cucking stool and for a type of balancing scale used in medieval times to check the weight of coins.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ "Tumbrel".
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Tumbrel". Retrieved 28 May 2014.
- ^ "Tumbrel". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2011-05-01.
- ^ Chris Marshall. "The Medieval Tumbrel". Retrieved 2014-02-04.