What is
Stone trap to catch birds (thrushes, partridges), rabbits and rats. A flat stone, resting on sticks, falls and encloses the animal (DCVB). In vulgar Majorcan it is also said llova. The DCVB says that in Mallorca the hills are more complicated than on the mainland.
How is
The Mallorcan llosa, piece by piece (DCVB; names of Manacor and Mancor):
- Tiba (or llosa): the main and mobile stone.
- Tibal or terrace (Manacor) / capçaler (Mancor): large and fixed stone in front.
- Bancalet and coster (Manacor) / parabandes (Mancor): small stones on the sides.
- Palanca (Manacor) / clavilla (Mancor): almost vertical stick supported on the tibal.
- Costelles: two long horizontal sticks that extend from the lever to the base of the tiba.
- Puntal (Manacor) / batall (Mancor): short stick from the top of the lever to the top of the stem.
- Esca / menja: the bait, on a stick stuck between the costelles.
How is fa
- Stones from the field itself and branch sticks. Without rope or metal.
Com s'usa
- The animal goes to the bait, moves the ribs, the lever and the prop lose balance and the tiba falls on top (DCVB).
- States: llosa stopped (armed), llosa tiba (shot with prey), tiba i enganada (shot late, without prey) (DCVB).
- Rosselló: "Start cassar-los amb lloses" (Many., DCVB).
Vocabulary
- llosa / llova — stone trap.
- tiba — falling stone.
- tibal / terrace / capçaler — fixed stone.
- lever / pin, costelles, prop / battle — wooden pieces.
- llosa de ferro (Felanitx) — cribita to catch birds.
- parany — trap; where the traps are.
History
- 1346: «prendre rates ab loses» (BSAL, DCVB).
- 15th century: Roig, Spill: «Pardal may pres / fou ni trobat / ... / davall la slab» (DCVB).
- Today: prohibited as a hunting method (regulations, to be verified).
On veure'n
- Reconstructions in museums or ethnological centers (check in Caimari or Muro).
Why is it design
- Balance mechanism with five sticks: a precision trigger without industrial parts.
- Technical vocabulary by town: Manacor and Mancor name the same machine differently.
- Named states: stopped, tiba, deceived. A small system of states.
For the project
- Exploited technical drawing of the Mallorcan llosa with its names of Manacor and Mancor.
- Didactic piece (without hunting use): lever mechanics.
Frequently asked questions
What is Llosa (stone trap)?
Stone trap to catch birds (thrushes, partridges), rabbits and rats. A flat stone, resting on sticks, falls and encloses the animal (DCVB). In vulgar Majorcan…
What are the traditional words for Llosa (stone trap)?
Some words: llosa / llova, palanca / clavilla**, **costelles**, **puntal / batall, parany, tiba, tibal / bancal / capçaler.
Sources
Working text from the Disseny Indígena knowledge base, machine-translated from Spanish.