1. a device used for lifting water, consisting of a long pole balanced on a pivot with a bucket on one end and a counterweight on the other
Usage: historical; primarily used in ancient Egypt and other parts of Africa and Asia

Examples

• The ancient Egyptians used a shadoof to irrigate their crops along the Nile River.
• Farmers operated the shadoof by pulling down the bucket end to collect water from the river.
• The counterweight on the shadoof made it easier to lift heavy buckets of water.
• Archaeological evidence shows that the shadoof was invented around 2000 BCE.
• Some rural communities in Africa still use traditional shadoofs for irrigation.
• The shadoof’s simple lever mechanism made it an efficient water-lifting tool for ancient civilizations.