noun
loosely woven mat; coarse straw mat
Rare term for a rough, loosely woven mat, typically made of straw. Compare with 筵 (むしろ), the common word for a woven mat.
See also: 筵
昔の農家では、荒筵を干し場に敷いて使った。
In old farmhouses, they spread coarse straw mats on the drying area.
筵 is the common word for a woven straw mat; 荒筵 is a rare variant emphasizing coarseness or loose weave.
Compound of 荒 (あら, 'rough, coarse') and 筵 (むしろ, 'woven mat'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word is rare in modern Japanese.