"LE PETRIN" (KNEADING TROUGH)

The kneading trough started off as a box which was held up by trestles and which was put away after use.

Little by little it became " fixed " and stable. It has a heavy outer aspect and has doors in it¹s lower part (Cévennes ­ Alpes de Haute Provence). It then became finer and found its final shape in the XVIIIth century. This is the shape by which we recognise it today. It now has a trapezoidal shaped box, which closes with a movable top, cut on the edge and put on a shaped base, most of the time it ends with a scroll like shape ( volutés), held together by carved front pieces of wood. The sides are held together by small cut pieces of wood.

The oldest kneading troughs (XVIIIth century) are never decorated. If they are, it means that they are either late kneading troughs (XIXth century) or that the carvings were done well after they were made.