Page 32 - Hrobat Virloget, Katja, et al., eds. (2015). Stone narratives: heritage, mobility, performance. University of Primorska Press, Koper.
P. 32
stone narratives
ence from Friuli was much more powerful in the Lower Vipava Valley, Brda and the Karst
than in the remote Upper Vipava Valley.
Figure 1: Fireplace at the homestead of Bežajevi, Podbreg (Photo: Špela Ledinek Lozej,
2004).
Fireplaces, fireplace equipment and kitchenware
The documented fireplaces from the 19th century were solid, low and spacious; their boun-
daries were delimited with a roughly cut stone or wooden edge or slates (škrle). Younger
massive fireplaces from late 19th century were sometimes built of brick and plastered or pa-
inted with oil paint. They were placed on wooden, stone or built pillars, which were con-
nected with wooden beams. Wooden boards were nailed to the bottom of the beams and
filled up with soil. Slates (škrle) or bricks were then placed on the soil. The corners of the
outer edge were fastened with iron bindings (Šarf, 1958a, pp. 32–39, 51, 85, 88–90; 1958b, pp.
6, 13–14, 23, 35; 1964, p. 365; Ščukovt, 2007, p. 426).
Fireplaces in houses of the wealthy were sometimes constructed of chiselled stone
blocks from white limestone. Massive fireplaces were built by construction workers and
stone blocks were chiselled by stonemasons from Manče and Vrhpolje in the Vipava Val-
ley; the most prominent stone blocks, however, came from the Karst (from the villages of
Kopriva and Aurisina/Nabrežina). Fireplaces were placed on square or occasionally round
pillars. The front and frequently also the side of the fireplace featured a wide segmental or
semicircular arch. As they were situated in the main dwelling place, fireplaces often dis-
played artistic design. In wealthy dwellings in the central Slovenian and Alpine areas, how-
ever, fireplaces were not positioned in the main dwelling place, but rather in the so-called
‘black kitchen’ (črna kuhinja), situated in or near the vestibule and separated from the rest
30
ence from Friuli was much more powerful in the Lower Vipava Valley, Brda and the Karst
than in the remote Upper Vipava Valley.
Figure 1: Fireplace at the homestead of Bežajevi, Podbreg (Photo: Špela Ledinek Lozej,
2004).
Fireplaces, fireplace equipment and kitchenware
The documented fireplaces from the 19th century were solid, low and spacious; their boun-
daries were delimited with a roughly cut stone or wooden edge or slates (škrle). Younger
massive fireplaces from late 19th century were sometimes built of brick and plastered or pa-
inted with oil paint. They were placed on wooden, stone or built pillars, which were con-
nected with wooden beams. Wooden boards were nailed to the bottom of the beams and
filled up with soil. Slates (škrle) or bricks were then placed on the soil. The corners of the
outer edge were fastened with iron bindings (Šarf, 1958a, pp. 32–39, 51, 85, 88–90; 1958b, pp.
6, 13–14, 23, 35; 1964, p. 365; Ščukovt, 2007, p. 426).
Fireplaces in houses of the wealthy were sometimes constructed of chiselled stone
blocks from white limestone. Massive fireplaces were built by construction workers and
stone blocks were chiselled by stonemasons from Manče and Vrhpolje in the Vipava Val-
ley; the most prominent stone blocks, however, came from the Karst (from the villages of
Kopriva and Aurisina/Nabrežina). Fireplaces were placed on square or occasionally round
pillars. The front and frequently also the side of the fireplace featured a wide segmental or
semicircular arch. As they were situated in the main dwelling place, fireplaces often dis-
played artistic design. In wealthy dwellings in the central Slovenian and Alpine areas, how-
ever, fireplaces were not positioned in the main dwelling place, but rather in the so-called
‘black kitchen’ (črna kuhinja), situated in or near the vestibule and separated from the rest
30
