From prehistory to the present day, agricultural techniques have evolved hand in hand with this tool, always behind two oxen, until the machines arrived

The plow, which began as a simple tool used by Chaldeans and Assyrians 3,500 years ago, allowed for the development of a hierarchical society that could control resource production. It was also used in ancient Egypt, Greece, and the Roman Empire, which further spread its use across Europe. The plow was improved during the Roman Empire with the introduction of the coulter, a small side blade that better turned the soil. In al-Andalus, the plow was used with an iron blade, and new crops were introduced, such as cotton, eggplant, and pomegranate. The erosion caused by the plow was counteracted with new techniques like crop rotation and the use of different organic fertilizers. The weight of the plow was reduced in the 11th century when wheels were introduced, as depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry. Plow models improved in the 18th and especially 19th centuries, with the main advancement being the steel moldboard plow introduced by John Deere in 1837. Today, mechanical traction plows, moldboard plows, and disc plows are used, which can be attached to a tractor by two or three points or semi-suspended.