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-470, RZ-471, RZ-478, RZ-551, RZ-552
Type of Object
Mine, Smelting
Description
Short description
Massive bowls for cinnabar are coated with shiny yellowish-brown glaze on the inside and on the upper edge. At the sides and on the bottom of the vessels, the red cinnabar colour glitters. The bowls are not round, but a combined outline of a circle and a triangle.
Measures
Length 40–41 cm, width 39.3–41 cm, height 15.5–19 cm.
Materials
Ceramics
Dating
The time of creation is unknown.
Author / Producer
Manufacturer information is not known.
Picture attachments
Original use
The bowls served for carrying cinnabar in the Cinnabar Factory of the Idrija Mercury Mine.
Present use
The described items (5 in total) are being preserved, secured and presented as important mining heritage of Idrija with exceptional universal values. Most of them are a part of the mining collection of the Idrija Municipal Museum. Visitors can view one item within the permanent museum exhibition “Five Centuries of the Mercury Mine and the Town of Idrija”. The rest of them are stored in the depot and can be used for temporary museum exhibitions. They can be used for different types of mercury heritage promotions.
Original location
The Cinnabar Factory of the Idrija Mercury Mine.
Present location
Idrija Municipal Museum, Gewerkenegg Castle (showroom 9); Idrija Municipal Museum, Prelovčeva 2 depot.
STATE OF CONSERVATION
History of conservation:
Objects are well preserved and conserved appropriately. Additional interventions are not necessary. Security of the premises is taken care of.
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;
- Janouš, Alois, senior furnace supervisor (k. k. Oberhüttenverwalter). Geschichtliche Entwicklung
der Zinnoberfabrikation in Idria, Ad B. D. Z. 4521 de 1897;
- Janouš, Alois, senior furnace supervisor (k. k. Oberhüttenverwalter). Darstellung des Zinnobers in
Idria in der Gegenwart, Ad B. D. Z. 4521 de 1897;
- Kavčič, Ivica. Živo srebro: Zgodovina idrijskega žgalništva. Založba Bogataj, Idrija, 2008;
- Kavčič, Ivica. Proizvodnja živosrebrovih spojin pri idrijskem rudniku skozi stoletja. Idrijski razgledi, 61/2, 2016, p. 60–76.