Idrija Municipal Museum, Prelovčeva 9, SI-5280 Idrija
Ownership
Public
Owner
Municipality of Idrija, Mestni trg 1, SI-5280 Idrija
Local / Original ID Number
510:IDR;RZ-119
Type of Object
Mine
Description
Short description
A mining mark is a round plate. A total of 576 mining marks are preserved. 440 marks have a boarding and the following inscription on the front side: K. K. BERGDIREKTION IDRIA. The double-headed eagle with the crown is imprinted between the two letters “K”. The back side has the miner’s registration number. 126 mining marks look exactly the same, except that the registration number (which is different on every mark) is imprinted on both sides. The remaining 10 have one blank side and the other bearing the miner’s registration number.
Measures
Diameter 3.3 cm, height 0.2 cm.
Materials
Aluminium
Dating
Before the First World War.
Author / Producer
K. K. Bergdirektion Idria; Manufacturer information is not known.
Picture attachments
Original use
Before entering the pit, the miners gathered in the call room, a part of the entrance building of the individual shaft. The Idrija Mercury Mine has a history of pit accidents, in which a large number of miners lost their lives. Therefore, the wooden board with marks in the call room was called the death clock. The death clock with its mining marks, served as a control system and identification system for miners’ presence in the pit and their safe return from the pit. Each miner took his mark with an identification number from the death clock and hung it back after his shift. If a mining mark was missing, they started rescuing the missing miner. If a miner forgot to hang his number, and the rescuing mission was unjustified, he was sanctioned. The mining marks (10 in total), which have one black side, are homemade and were supposedly made in the Idrija Mercury Mine forge.
Present use
The mining marks are being preserved, secured and presented as an important monument of Idrija mining heritage with exceptional universal values. Visitors can view 126 mining marks within the permanent exhibition of the Idrija Municipal Museum “Five Centuries of the Mercury Mine and the Town of Idrija”. They are placed on a wooden replica of a death watch. The rest of the mining marks (450 in total) are stored in the depot. They may be used for temporary museum exhibitions. All the mining marks can also be used for different types of mercury heritage promotions.
Original location
Idrija Mercury Mine (miner’s working equipment).
Present location
Idrija Municipal Museum, Gewerkenegg Castle (showroom 1).
STATE OF CONSERVATION
History of conservation:
The mining marks are well preserved. Therefore, no additional interventions are necessary. Security of the premises is ensured.
Present state
good
Necessary activities:
Regular seasonal maintenance.
DOCUMENTATION
Addresses / collections / links etc. where further in-depth information is accessible: