It seems to me the correct metal for a plow in Gloranthan terms is
the metal of the appropriate Husband of Ernalda. This to me has the
appropriate symbology. Since in orlanthi territories this would be
bronze (for Orlanth), I would connect iron plows in orlanthi territory
with some form of alternative to the accepted marriage, and
the exact benefit of this form of plowing to the myth (or vice versa).
For instance, perhaps Ernalda had secret love for Humakt in her heart
and there is a part of her only he can touch, manifest in hard ground
only iron plows can cut; alternately, hard ground is the result of past
rapes and transgressions against the earth. Perhaps iron plows are a
clan secret, because only that clan has the appropriate myth, and that
clan also has a disproportionately high number of Humakti?
ps. enjoying the discussions about real earth plows and urine. Excuse
my ignorance, what exactly is urine used for (is it just a mild acid,
or does it have other properties as well?)
- --
"When we look at the world, we see various arts offered as items for sale.
Men think of themselves as commodities for sale. There is a trend for men
to invent various tools and to sell those rather than their faculties. This
thinking is like separating the seed from a flower and valuing the seed less
than the flower." -- Miyamoto Musashi