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Smithy from Ziemiełowice, 1726

It was constructed in 1726 which is confirmed by the inscription cut on the lintel of the entrance door reading: 'M P l W B Anno 1726 S F'. It is a building made as a log structure with an advanced roof at the front creating a large arcade supported on three poles. There is a gable roof covered with slate roof tiles. From the vertically boarded gable there is an entrance to a functional attic.

In the smithy, there are smith's appliances and tools that come mainly from the turn of 20th century. Since fire allowing for processing iron is necessary in smith's work, a hearth is the most important element of a smithy. Due to the danger of fire, both the furnace and the walls above the hearth are made of bricks. The furnace is connected with the bellows blowing air to the hearth. Anvils are an important element of equipment of any smithy. In the smithy from Ziemiołowice, there are two anvils of different shapes used for forging and finishing work. A special tool, so called smith's horn, about 150 cm high, was used for modelling the shape of rings and small rims.

Various types of pliers and hammers constituted basic equipment of a smithy. Pliers were used for turning iron in the hearth and holding it while forging it on the anvil. There are numerous types of hammers to be encountered – from light chisels, smoothers, punches, to heavier one- or two-handed hammers.

The so called 'hole puncher' (dziurawnica), which can be mostly found in large smithies, is made of cast iron plate and on its surface there are holes of different shapes and dimensions. It is used as a die for forming objects of different shapes as well as for making holes. In the smithy, there are also factory made appliances from the interwar period, used for bending and shaping rims placed on wooden cart wheels, as well as drills and tools for cutting holes in wooden cart wheels precisely.

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