002.283.Idrija

Idrija Municipal Museum, Prelovčeva 9, SI-5280 Idrija.

Public

Municipality of Idrija, Mestni trg 1, SI-5280 Idrija.

510:IDR;RZ-21

Mine, Transport - other transport, Smelting

The barrel is of oval shape in cross-section. Its cover is composed of custom staves, staves and two base surfaces, top and bottom. The cover is connected with seven bands, which are tightened with wooden clamps.

Length 18 cm, width 18 cm, height 43 cm.

Wood.

The production time is unknown.

Manufacturer information is not known.

Two animal bladders could be placed into the described barrel. Each had a volume of approximately 2 litres and had a carrying capacity up to 25 kg. Therefore, one barrel contained up to 50 kg of mercury. Until the middle of the 19th century, when the Southern railway was built through Logatec (Vienna–Trieste), mercury was transported using horses. A horse had one wooden barrel attached on each side of a saddle (the barrels were also called “lagel”), therefore the horse carried 100kg of weight in total.

The described object is being preserved, secured and presented as an important monument of Idrija mining heritage with exceptional universal values. It is a part of the mining collection of the Idrija Municipal Museum. Visitors can view it within the permanent museum exhibition “Five Centuries of the Mercury Mine and the Town of Idrija”. It can also be used for different types of mercury heritage promotions.

The Smelting Plant of the Idrija Mercury Mine.

Idrija Municipal Museum, Gewerkenegg Castle (showroom 9).

The described object was restored before 1995, during the time of preparations for the permanent museum exhibition. Additional interventions are not necessary. Security of the premises is taken care of.

good

Regular seasonal maintenance.

- Inventory Book of the Idrija Municipal Museum.

Mestni muzej Idrija

Miha Kosmač

12. 3. 2018

Never