thumb|Well pole in central [[Anatolia, Turkey]]

A shadoof or shaduf, well pole, well sweep, sweep, swape, or simply a lift

History

thumb|Multi-level shadoof system in Egypt|alt=Multi-level shadoofs

One theory states that the shadoof was invented in Mesopotamia as early as the time of Sargon of Akkad (around 24th and 23rd centuries BCE). The earliest evidence of this technology is a cylindrical seal with a depiction of a shadoof dating back to about 2200 BCE. Then, it is believed that the Minoans adopted this technology; evidence suggests the use of shadoofs as early as around 2100–1600 BCE. The shadoof appeared in Upper Egypt sometime after 2000 BC, most likely during the 18th Dynasty. Around the same time, the shadoof reached China.

Some historians believe the Egyptians were the original inventors of the shadoof. The theory states that the shadoof originated along the Nile, using tomb drawings illustrating shadoofs at Thebes dating from 1250 BCE as evidence.

An alternative origin theory states that shadoof originated from India around the same time as in Mesopotamia. This theory owes to the fact that the shadoof was well spread in India; however, there is little to no other evidence that makes this theory any stronger. It consists of an upright frame on which is suspended a long pole or branch, at a distance of about one-fifth of its length from one end.

The implementations vary from region to region. The frame can consist of a single pole or a pair, and the buckets can be attached in multiple different ways, from being tied to a rope to being attached to a thinner stick.

A study done in Nigeria also indirectly assessed energy usage through heart rate, serving as the physiological metric. Through this approach, it was discovered that making suitable adjustments to the shadoof decreased energy consumption from approximately 109 to 71 watts (equivalent to 6.56 to 4.27 kilojoules per minute). This reduction enables a farmer to engage in prolonged work without necessitating frequent rest breaks. Together with other irrigation technologies, shadoofs not only helped establish reliable methods of agriculture for growing civilizations but also influenced cultural elements.

200px|thumb|Well pole in Baidivka, Ukraine (1950)

The accessibility and utilization of shadoofs have been linked to class. During the Egyptian Middle Empire and the New Kingdom, pleasure gardens featuring shadoof irrigation became a hallmark of luxury residences and consequently a status symbol. Although not directly, shadoofs contributed to creating a class system, a barrier for some. At the same time, shadoofs have remained essential for those with limited resources to support their livelihoods on large-scale farms around the Nile. Even in the present day, many communities worldwide lack access to more sophisticated water technologies, making shadoofs an indicator of socio-economic standing and a certain measure of societal development. The technology's reliability, despite its antiquity, often gets overlooked. The ease of use of the shadoof empowered women to play a more active role in farming. It is fair to acknowledge that shadoofs contributed to normalizing women's increased independence and participation in less physically demanding, and therefore more “socially acceptable”, aspects of food production. A less common English translation is swape.

  • Picotah (or picota) is a Portuguese loan word.
  • It is also called a jiégāo (桔槹) in Chinese.
  • The Tamil name is thulla (துலா), while the Telugu name is ethaamu (ఏతాము) or ethamu (ఏతము).
  • It was also known by the Ancient Greek name kēlōn () or kēlōneion (); this term (קילון) is also borrowed in Mishnaic Hebrew.
  • In Ukrainian, it is called krynychnyi zhuravel (криничний журавель, "well crane") for its shape; it is also known as zvid (звід).
  • In Hungarian, it is known as gémeskút (literally, "heron wells").
  • In Croatian, it is known as đeram (from Turkish, germe).

<gallery>

File:Ipuy shaduf.jpg|Ancient wall painting in Egypt

File:Sterio Károly Pihenő a gémeskútnál a pusztán 1855.jpg|Painting by Károly Sterio, 1855

File:Возле-шинка.jpg|alt=I. Sokolov, 1864|Painting by Ivan Sokolov, 1864

File:Egypt.KomOmbo.Shaduf.01.jpg|Shadoof in Egypt

File:Museum of Folk Architecture and Ethnography in Pyrohiv - old water well - 2376-1.jpg|Well sweep in Pyrohiv Museum, Ukraine

File:Białoruś Biały Lasek żuraw studzienny.jpg|Well sweep in Belarus

File:Well-Central Anatolia.JPG|Shadoof in Turkey

File:Draw well Wahlsdorf.JPG|Well sweep in Germany

File:Veevinnaja, Ernst Hermann Schlichting, ERM K 2107.jpg|Painting by Ernst Hermann Schlichting, 1852

File:Sassi Jaani.jpg|Reconstructed 19th century well sweep in the Estonian Open Air Museum

</gallery>

In heraldry

The use of shadoofs in certain areas influenced heraldry.