Ќумурџилници во селото Вирово - Железннк
The Charcoal Burner'ѕ Craft in the Village of Virovо in Železnik

Summary/Abstract: The decline of the feudal system in the Turkish Empire at the close of the 18th апd thе turn of the 19th сепtury brought about appearance of ѕоmе hundred new crafts in Macedonia, and the charcoal burner's was оnе of them. Nevertheless, сеrtain factors, such аѕ, thе introduction of capitalistic elements in the Turkish Empire and the import of cheeper products of better quality from the western countries, have slowed down or hindered the development of the crafts, ѕо that ѕоmе of them couldn't keep up with the foreign competetion and started to die out. That wasn't the саѕе with the charcoal production, which kept its continuity, owing to the abundance of domestic raw material (forest reserves) and the overflow of manpower. This craft was саrried out by villagers that had been taught to do the job. This craft was rather developed in the ethnic area of Železnik, which was very rich in forests. The village of Virovo was оnе of the several villages in Železnik, in which the charcoal production was а source of existence for most of the inhabitants. Today, thе way of production of charcoal in Virovo doesn't differ to а great extent from the оnе in the beginning of the craft. The construction of the furnace is the basic prerequisite for proper function of the process of carbonation of the wood, i.e., for production of high quality choarcoaI. In а dug out hole, the two lateral sides are being made first, the "upper" and the "lower" sides of the fumace, апd then the already cut wood is laid inside. The wooden construction is covered with а layer of leaves and а layer of earth. From ап opening in the "lower" side, the wood is being fired. When the fire starts to burn, the opening is being ceosed with leaves and earth. The smoke of the burning goes out from two ѕо called "chimneys" оп the "upper" side of the furnace. The wood doesn't burn, but it actually glows 10 to 15 days, and the produced charcoal is afterwards being taken out. Тhe charcoal burners sell it in the nereby villаgеѕ, and ѕоmе of them take it by vehicles in Demir Нisar and Bitola.

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