Achatschleiferei und Wasserschleifen am Idarbach
Full details
| English title | Agate grinding and water-powered grinding mills on the Idar |
| Authors & editors | |
| Publisher | Raiffeisenbank Idar-Oberstein |
| Year of publication | 1986 |
| Languages | German (main text) |
| Medium | Book |
| Edition | 1 |
| ISBN | 392382419X |
| Topics | Wind & watermills > Other Europe (not GB) > Germany, Austria & Switzerland |
| Tags | |
| Scope & content | Summary TranslationA description of the stone grinding industry for which the small town of Idar-Oberstein in the Rhineland Palatinate was once famous, and which has now disappeared almost without trace. Some accounts claim that the semi-precious stone industry existed in the region even before the arrival of the Romans, but the first documented grinding mill dates from 1469. The grinding of agate on the rivers of the Idar area goes back to the 16th century; many more mills were built in the 17th to 19th centuries. The industry reached its highpoint around 1870. The text describes the rules governing the mills, the grinding process and the working conditions. It lists all the known grinding mills with their names and, where known, dates of construction and abandonment or conversion. The use of electricity led to the abandonment of the water-driven mills.The text goes on to describe the mining of agate, which was first documented in the region in the 15th century. The discovery of agate in South America in about 1830, initially brought to Germany as ballast, encouraged the construction of more mills on the streams around the Nahe and Idar.The next part describes the working conditions of the grinders and the rules governing them.The second half of the book describes each of 57 mills that once stood on the Isar.The book is illustrated with black-and-white photos. |
Copies held
Accession no. 229872
- Shelf location: N 900 (14.3)-REI
- Donor: Michael Dufau
- Notes: Summary TranslationA description of the stone grinding industry for which the small town of Idar-Oberstein in the Rhineland Palatinate was once famous, and which has now disappeared almost without trace. Some accounts claim that the semi-precious stone industry existed in the region even before the arrival of the Romans, but the first documented grinding mill dates from 1469. The grinding of agate on the rivers of the Idar area goes back to the 16th century; many more mills were built in the 17th to 19th centuries. The industry reached its highpoint around 1870. The text describes the rules governing the mills, the grinding process and the working conditions. It lists all the known grinding mills with their names and, where known, dates of construction and abandonment or conversion. The use of electricity led to the abandonment of the water-driven mills.The text goes on to describe the mining of agate, which was first documented in the region in the 15th century. The discovery of agate in South America in about 1830, initially brought to Germany as ballast, encouraged the construction of more mills on the streams around the Nahe and Idar.The next part describes the working conditions of the grinders and the rules governing them.The second half of the book describes each of 57 mills that once stood on the Isar.The book is illustrated with black-and-white photos.