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;RS-34
Type of Object
Mine
Description
Short description
The pit cart, also called the wood cart or “hund”, has both axles with cast iron wheels screwed on the base steel frame at the bottom. The box, including with the braking system, is made entirely of wood. At the back it has a flap door with a latch for ore disposal.
Measures
Length 144 cm, width 75 cm, height 103 cm.
Materials
Cast iron, steel, wood - fir.
Dating
The middle of the 19th century.
Author / Producer
Manufacturer information is not known.
Picture attachments
Original use
For classic ore export from the mine and transport to the separation plant - Bašerija, several hundred little wagonettes – “hunds” were used by the Mine. The exact time of their creation is not known, but they were most definitely manufactured simultaneously with installation of classic iron rails in the Mine. It all points to the fact that most of the wagons were produced in Idrija, namely in accordance with the needs of Mine production. Its characteristic is that the miner emptied it by disposing the ore at the back of the wagon. They were used on a 475mm wide track. After World War II, they were replaced by the new “hunds”, which were entirely made of iron. Nevertheless, they were still used, to a lesser extent, up until 1977, which means more than hundred years in total.
Present use
The described object is being preserved, secured and presented as an important monument of Idrija technical mining heritage with exceptional universal values. It can be viewed within the Idrija Municipal Museum collection “Mining machines and devices”. Three carts and a small Siemens & Halske (1902) electric locomotive are exhibited on the site, where they were loaded before taken to Bašerija in the past. Due to the modernisation of the mines and replacement of old wooden “hunds” with iron ones after World War II, not many “hunds” of this kind were preserved.
Original location
Idrija Mercury Mine (the pit, Bašerija).
Present location
Joseph's Shaft, canopy under the forge.
STATE OF CONSERVATION
History of conservation:
During the restoration process in 2000, all parts of the chassis were disassembled. The surfaces were cleaned with the sandblasting process and painted with foundation and top paint. The boxes were newly made. 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:
- Inventory Book of the Idrija Municipal Museum;
- Anton Zelenc. In vendar se giblje: katalog rudniških strojev in naprav. Idrija, Idrija Municipal Museum, 2001;
- Anton Zelenc. Idrija Municipal Museum: restored mine machines and devices of the Idrija Mercury Mine. Patrimoine de l´industrie, 2004, p. 17–19.