Page 35 - Hrobat Virloget, Katja, et al., eds. (2015). Stone narratives: heritage, mobility, performance. University of Primorska Press, Koper.
P. 35
fireplaces in the vipava valley
shovel was used to remove ashes from the hearth into the ash pit, while tongs were used to
move glowing embers under tripods and dishes, and over the clay lid (črepnja) under which
a bread was baked. Metal tools were usually made by village blacksmiths; only individual
andirons were skilfully designed craftwork. Fireplace tools were always on the fireplace or
they hung from the andiron or on pegs close to the fireplace (Bizjak 1958, f. 240; Šarf, 1958a,
p. 12, 43; 1958b, p. 4).
From the chimney above the hearth hung a chain, suspended from wooden sticks,
with a drill-like height-adjustable hook. From the hook hung a copper or cast-iron caul-
dron, which most of the food was prepared in (Budal, 1993, p. 120; Feigel, 2009, p. 11; Novi-
nec, 2006, p. 11; Šarf, 1958a, p. 5, 26, 33, 42). Similar cauldrons were characteristic of the
neighbouring areas, the Karst, Brda, Friuli and Istria (Scheuermaier, 1954, p. 26). Among
copper kitchenware in wealthy homesteads, there are also records of pails for storage, ladles
for water – to ladle with them and drink from them, and copper lids, which were placed
in order of size behind the wire on the kitchen wall. Makarovič established correctly that
the decorative purpose of the displayed lids was at least as important as their functionality
(Makarovič, 1981, p. 242).
In addition to cooking in cauldrons, clay or cast-iron pots and dishes which were
placed on tripods or which themselves had three legs were used for thermal food process-
ing (Bizjak, 1958, f. 214, 215, 304, 310). Such three-legged clay or iron pots were called kas-
trole and are considered forerunners of tripods. Iron pans were used for frying grease, and
coffee roasters, called brštulin, for roasting coffee beans. Clay pots were made by the people
of Ribnica na Dolenjskem, who were well-known pottery makers and traders. In the Upper
Vipava Valley, pottery could be bought at the fair on the Virgin Mary’s Assumption Day
in the village of Log or via a representative of the Ribnica people in Vipava. Clay pots were
bound with a wire, which prevented the pots from cracking. People tied the wire to the pots
themselves or had it done by the people of Rezija, who were specialized in this occupation.
Clay and cast-iron pots were stored on the outer mantelshelf of the chimney hood. In hum-
ble dwellings, pots were stored in crates, on shelves in wall niches or on the wall (Feigel,
2009, p. 11; Makarovič, 1981, 230; Šarf, 1958a, p. 27; 1958b, pp. 4, 42–43).
From the second half of the 19th century, there was the so-called ‘pig cauldron’ of cast
iron or copper built next to the fireplace, and in some places also a copper cauldron for
distillation (Šarf, 1958a, p. 11). Besides being used for preparing food for animals, as the
name suggests, ‘pig cauldrons’ were also used for heating water for laundry washing. The
cauldrons were walled in with stone and from late 19th century encircled with brick and
plastered. Underneath, there was a built-in hearth with an iron door. When the cauldron
was not in use, it was covered with wooden planks, which gained space for depositing and
storing things or even sitting. Cauldrons for distillation were made exclusively of copper,
whereas ‘pig cauldrons’ were also made of cast iron.
Due to the shared smoke exhaust through the chimney, the mouth of the bread oven
was situated in the wall right next to the fireplace. A semicircular mouth of the oven was
in the kitchen and the vaulted interior of the oven was located in the wall, normally pro-
truding into the next room or outside. In some cases, the bread oven was situated under the
fireplace, which was common in Brda and Istria (Šarf, 1964, p. 368). In the Vipava Valley,
there were no records of free-standing ovens, which were common in Istria (Keršič, 1990, p.
33
shovel was used to remove ashes from the hearth into the ash pit, while tongs were used to
move glowing embers under tripods and dishes, and over the clay lid (črepnja) under which
a bread was baked. Metal tools were usually made by village blacksmiths; only individual
andirons were skilfully designed craftwork. Fireplace tools were always on the fireplace or
they hung from the andiron or on pegs close to the fireplace (Bizjak 1958, f. 240; Šarf, 1958a,
p. 12, 43; 1958b, p. 4).
From the chimney above the hearth hung a chain, suspended from wooden sticks,
with a drill-like height-adjustable hook. From the hook hung a copper or cast-iron caul-
dron, which most of the food was prepared in (Budal, 1993, p. 120; Feigel, 2009, p. 11; Novi-
nec, 2006, p. 11; Šarf, 1958a, p. 5, 26, 33, 42). Similar cauldrons were characteristic of the
neighbouring areas, the Karst, Brda, Friuli and Istria (Scheuermaier, 1954, p. 26). Among
copper kitchenware in wealthy homesteads, there are also records of pails for storage, ladles
for water – to ladle with them and drink from them, and copper lids, which were placed
in order of size behind the wire on the kitchen wall. Makarovič established correctly that
the decorative purpose of the displayed lids was at least as important as their functionality
(Makarovič, 1981, p. 242).
In addition to cooking in cauldrons, clay or cast-iron pots and dishes which were
placed on tripods or which themselves had three legs were used for thermal food process-
ing (Bizjak, 1958, f. 214, 215, 304, 310). Such three-legged clay or iron pots were called kas-
trole and are considered forerunners of tripods. Iron pans were used for frying grease, and
coffee roasters, called brštulin, for roasting coffee beans. Clay pots were made by the people
of Ribnica na Dolenjskem, who were well-known pottery makers and traders. In the Upper
Vipava Valley, pottery could be bought at the fair on the Virgin Mary’s Assumption Day
in the village of Log or via a representative of the Ribnica people in Vipava. Clay pots were
bound with a wire, which prevented the pots from cracking. People tied the wire to the pots
themselves or had it done by the people of Rezija, who were specialized in this occupation.
Clay and cast-iron pots were stored on the outer mantelshelf of the chimney hood. In hum-
ble dwellings, pots were stored in crates, on shelves in wall niches or on the wall (Feigel,
2009, p. 11; Makarovič, 1981, 230; Šarf, 1958a, p. 27; 1958b, pp. 4, 42–43).
From the second half of the 19th century, there was the so-called ‘pig cauldron’ of cast
iron or copper built next to the fireplace, and in some places also a copper cauldron for
distillation (Šarf, 1958a, p. 11). Besides being used for preparing food for animals, as the
name suggests, ‘pig cauldrons’ were also used for heating water for laundry washing. The
cauldrons were walled in with stone and from late 19th century encircled with brick and
plastered. Underneath, there was a built-in hearth with an iron door. When the cauldron
was not in use, it was covered with wooden planks, which gained space for depositing and
storing things or even sitting. Cauldrons for distillation were made exclusively of copper,
whereas ‘pig cauldrons’ were also made of cast iron.
Due to the shared smoke exhaust through the chimney, the mouth of the bread oven
was situated in the wall right next to the fireplace. A semicircular mouth of the oven was
in the kitchen and the vaulted interior of the oven was located in the wall, normally pro-
truding into the next room or outside. In some cases, the bread oven was situated under the
fireplace, which was common in Brda and Istria (Šarf, 1964, p. 368). In the Vipava Valley,
there were no records of free-standing ovens, which were common in Istria (Keršič, 1990, p.
33
