Handwerk am Bach – von Mühlen, Sägen, Schmieden…
Full details
| English title | Craft along the stream – mills, sawmills, smithies |
| Authors & editors | |
| Publisher | Tyrolia |
| Year of publication | 1999 |
| Languages | German (main text) |
| Medium | Book |
| Edition | 1 |
| ISBN | 3702222006 |
| Topics | Energy & power > Water power |
| Tags | |
| Scope & content | Summary Translation Book about the use of water in the Tyrol to drive machines, starting with the development of technology over the years. In the Tyrol it was mining that gave a major impulse to the use of water-driven equipment.The first mention of water mills to grind corn in the Tyrol dates from the 8th century. The book describes the different legal statuses of corn mills and the technology. Sawmills also have a long history in the area: the technology is also described. Smiths started using water power in about the 11th century with the introduction of the camshaft. Water was used for hammering and stamping. In agriculture water wheels were used for driving machines for such uses as breaking flax. The second part of the book describes water-powered facilities in different parts of the Tyrol: Ausserfern, where many mills combined sawing with hammering, but most have disappeared; the Upper Inn Valley, where many mills have disappeared since their output is no longer required, but others have been taken over for museum or private use; the Central Inn Valley and side valleys, where most mills have disappeared, but some are being renovated; the Lower Inn Valley where one of the specialised branches was gunpowder, and also linseed oil; Eastern Tyrol, which still has a large number of buildings which were once water-powered facilities although the original purpose of many is no longer recognisable. The book is richly illustrated with colour and black-and-white photos (many of them showing details of components), diagrams and old maps. The front and end covers show the same cross-section of a sawmill. |
Copies held
Accession no. 230003
- Shelf location: F405-WIE