Page 36 - Hrobat Virloget, Katja, et al., eds. (2015). Stone narratives: heritage, mobility, performance. University of Primorska Press, Koper.
P. 36
stone narratives
344). Fanči Šarf dated the construction of bread ovens to the last decades of the 19th centu-
ry (1964, p. 368); however, bread ovens must have been known already in the early 19th cen-
tury, at least in the households of the Lower Vipava Valley which were engaged in bread
business. Older ovens were made of soft grey limestone (brusenc), the new ones were made
of brick. Older ovens were bigger, although the size differed as it depended on how big
the homestead was and whether the family was engaged in bread business. Some wealthy
homesteads even owned two ovens, one for bread and the other one for potica (a sweet wal-
nut roll) (Šarf, 1958a; Ščukovt, 2007, p. 428). The oven mouth was covered with a wooden
or iron lid; smoke exited the oven through one or more vents. There was a fireplace tool set
leaned against the oven: an iron fork on a long handle for pushing and adjusting firewood
on the hearth, a wooden or iron scraper (greblja or pastargauka) for stoking up embers, a
whisk broom made of melca (a genus of grasses Chrysopogon) or sackcloth for sweeping and
removing ashes, a wooden bat for putting bread in the oven and an iron shovel (Bizjak, 1958,
f. 176, 187; Budal, 1993, p. 120; Šarf, 1958a, pp. 32–34, 47–49, 64).
Spacious low fireplaces had footstools and three-legged stools for sitting. There were
also benches leaned against the wall or placed into a window niche or a blind niche. Also
wood-coated sills in blind niches or window niches were intended for sitting. Children
often sat on round logs. The second half of the 19th century introduced a moveable bench
called škanj. This bench had high plank-like legs, which were extended into armrests. Arm-
rests as well as lower part of the legs were sometimes profiled (Bizjak, 1958, f. 176, 187; Bu-
dal, 1993, p. 120; Šarf, 1958a, pp. 32–34, 47–49, 64). The bench was sometimes attached to
the hood (Šarf, 1958a, p. 43). Benches with a backrest were besides sitting intended for pro-
tecting fire from draught (Bizjak, 1958, f. 46, 182, 186, 191, 210, 224, 226, 267, 299, 302, 303,
305; Šarf, 1958a, pp. 4–6, 43; 1958b, p. 13; 1964, p. 366).
Fireplace – a multi-purpose centre of the household
Fireplaces were not only meant for food preparation; they were a distinctly multi-purpose
centre of the dwelling. Next to thermal food processing, other instrumental functions in-
cluded heating and lighting of the main dwelling place. Fireplaces were also a place for oth-
er household activities, such as spinning, knitting, repairing of tools, removing corn from
the cob, and laundry washing. The fireplace was the centre of social interaction, commu-
nity-building practices and rituals, such as eating, meeting and sitting together in order
to tell and listen to stories, educate one another, pray and celebrate. Filip Terčelj once de-
scribed it as follows:
What a big green oven in the house means for the people of Gora (the mountain), that is what
a fireplace is for the people of the Vipava Valley and the Karst. It is at the fireplace where most
of the family life events happen. /.../ Sitting at the fireplace, with sparkles in their eyes, children
listen to stories told by an old man. Here, bargains are struck, and secretly, as embers under
ashes, first love is kindled; sons and daughters come from abroad to gather for celebrations, the
blurred eye of an old man stares into the dying embers on the hearth – a sign of human life. /.../
In winter, in the evening, the old and the young come together at the fireplace. The wind roars in
the chimney. From time to time, burja comes down the chimney and blows the smoke across the
fireplace. Never mind that! Faces grimace for a bit, a forced tear glitters here or there, but then
the fire springs back to life again and lights up bright faces that are watching the woman of the
34
344). Fanči Šarf dated the construction of bread ovens to the last decades of the 19th centu-
ry (1964, p. 368); however, bread ovens must have been known already in the early 19th cen-
tury, at least in the households of the Lower Vipava Valley which were engaged in bread
business. Older ovens were made of soft grey limestone (brusenc), the new ones were made
of brick. Older ovens were bigger, although the size differed as it depended on how big
the homestead was and whether the family was engaged in bread business. Some wealthy
homesteads even owned two ovens, one for bread and the other one for potica (a sweet wal-
nut roll) (Šarf, 1958a; Ščukovt, 2007, p. 428). The oven mouth was covered with a wooden
or iron lid; smoke exited the oven through one or more vents. There was a fireplace tool set
leaned against the oven: an iron fork on a long handle for pushing and adjusting firewood
on the hearth, a wooden or iron scraper (greblja or pastargauka) for stoking up embers, a
whisk broom made of melca (a genus of grasses Chrysopogon) or sackcloth for sweeping and
removing ashes, a wooden bat for putting bread in the oven and an iron shovel (Bizjak, 1958,
f. 176, 187; Budal, 1993, p. 120; Šarf, 1958a, pp. 32–34, 47–49, 64).
Spacious low fireplaces had footstools and three-legged stools for sitting. There were
also benches leaned against the wall or placed into a window niche or a blind niche. Also
wood-coated sills in blind niches or window niches were intended for sitting. Children
often sat on round logs. The second half of the 19th century introduced a moveable bench
called škanj. This bench had high plank-like legs, which were extended into armrests. Arm-
rests as well as lower part of the legs were sometimes profiled (Bizjak, 1958, f. 176, 187; Bu-
dal, 1993, p. 120; Šarf, 1958a, pp. 32–34, 47–49, 64). The bench was sometimes attached to
the hood (Šarf, 1958a, p. 43). Benches with a backrest were besides sitting intended for pro-
tecting fire from draught (Bizjak, 1958, f. 46, 182, 186, 191, 210, 224, 226, 267, 299, 302, 303,
305; Šarf, 1958a, pp. 4–6, 43; 1958b, p. 13; 1964, p. 366).
Fireplace – a multi-purpose centre of the household
Fireplaces were not only meant for food preparation; they were a distinctly multi-purpose
centre of the dwelling. Next to thermal food processing, other instrumental functions in-
cluded heating and lighting of the main dwelling place. Fireplaces were also a place for oth-
er household activities, such as spinning, knitting, repairing of tools, removing corn from
the cob, and laundry washing. The fireplace was the centre of social interaction, commu-
nity-building practices and rituals, such as eating, meeting and sitting together in order
to tell and listen to stories, educate one another, pray and celebrate. Filip Terčelj once de-
scribed it as follows:
What a big green oven in the house means for the people of Gora (the mountain), that is what
a fireplace is for the people of the Vipava Valley and the Karst. It is at the fireplace where most
of the family life events happen. /.../ Sitting at the fireplace, with sparkles in their eyes, children
listen to stories told by an old man. Here, bargains are struck, and secretly, as embers under
ashes, first love is kindled; sons and daughters come from abroad to gather for celebrations, the
blurred eye of an old man stares into the dying embers on the hearth – a sign of human life. /.../
In winter, in the evening, the old and the young come together at the fireplace. The wind roars in
the chimney. From time to time, burja comes down the chimney and blows the smoke across the
fireplace. Never mind that! Faces grimace for a bit, a forced tear glitters here or there, but then
the fire springs back to life again and lights up bright faces that are watching the woman of the
34
