Sẹdnjeveške poti in železarstvo na Visoki Gorenjski
By: Tine Jarc.
Publisher: Mediumc1999.
Published: 1999
Place of publication: Radovlijica
Language: slv
Format: A4
Number of pages: 280
Subjects: Gorenjsko (Slovenia) -- Description and travel.
Description: SUMMARY

This work results as the answer on dissonances in the historic documents, accrued in different times under dif-ferent political circumstances. Older authors have made his research under circumstances of the Austro-Hun¬garian monarchy, some younger under the Yugoslav monarchy, afterwards under the circumstances of the World War II. and the last under the influences of the post-war times, always under other conditions. In such a long period also the research methods have been changed, the knowledge growth, the available informa-tion also, but also the differences between the gathered cognitions were always greater.
This differences have provoked the author, a retired information analyst, to implement the methods and tools of information analysis on this field of applica-tion. So the information analytical system SOCRA-TES, developed from the author, based on socra-tism, entrophy and emergence, till this time used usually in risk management operations, was imple-mented.
The SOCRATES model is based on the theory that all changes occur within following conditions and limits:
        (I,M,V,E,T) = const.
        I= structure, information), M= mass, V= vol-ume,                  space, E=energy, T=time.

So the technologies and ways and these remains as the most representative factors in the development of life of the inhabitants in the Visoka Gorenjska (Upper Highland) region were explored, analysed and interpreted.

The trends in the ironworking, the most representa-tive technologies in this region were analysed on its continuity and influences of the information flow in the ironworking processes, the achieving of re-sources (iron ore, charcoal, etc.), the acquiring of the needed requirements not available in the region, the influences of natural catastrophes and other in-fluential factors, were explored.
As a region, surrounded with mountains, the eco-nomic activities have been situated on places, where the best conditions for a specific activity were given and where the whole space most could be reasonable exploited. So in the flat land the agriculture, on the top of the mountains the pasture and in the passage between this two, especially in the deep valleys, which led from the mountains, the ironworking was placed.
The ironworking began on the mountains and with the time and development of technology it tends more and more to the bottom of the valleys.







In this work mostly the mediaeval conditions were analysed, before all the iron products, made in spe¬cific steps of production, the influences of ore and charcoal and of the specific technological equipment and technological parameters were calculated and discussed.
So the influence of wind on the capacity of smelting furnace and the altitude of the filling is calculated and afterwards implemented in the analyses of the remains found at specific old furnaces, to define the time in which it was implemented.

The results of the analyses were compared to those, gathered on the ways, leading from the places where the resources were acquired, to the places where they have been implemented.
On the other hand the products have been trans-ported to the users. So the remains of ways and the transported products, leading to the interchange of products and afterwards the trading, show what for articles and these structures and how they were transported is given.

After the World War II in this regions some muse-ums, specialized in ironworking were constituted (Jesenice, Kropa, Bohinjska Bistrica, Tržič) where shown, concerning this field of human activities and the life bound on this theme, were presented. These products are the information holder of production processes performed on them and parameters of these processes, which can be used in the informa-tion analysis.
Museums have also great collections of documents and literature concerning the ironworking in this re-gion and these connections to the outside world.

The seasonal stay and the permanent residence has induced during the history three activities, tightly connected between themselves, which supported the interactions and have presented a part of the life in the Visoka Gorenjska, bound on the life in the out-side world. This three activities: the ironworking, the agriculture and the animal husbandry and the trans-portation bounding the primarily three activities, have performed an integrity, making this possible and have fructified themselves through this integrity.
The agriculture has been presented already by other au-thors, more or less also the ironworking, at least the trans¬port, traffic and trading, bounding these activities be-tween themselves and with the outside world, the points of coincidence between all this activities, which are impor-tant for the whole development, were analysed before all the influences of innovations.
Such a cincidence point is the »Furnace of Wholly Hema« and these remains (founded between 11th and 14th) on more places in the region, and from this stage of development the following representative »Slovenian furnace« in Kropa (founded in 13 th cen-tury) and these influences on ironworking and after-wards on the whole life in the region which pre-served in the region till nowadays.
The specific development steps in ironworking are analysed in detail, so of the view of the geometry as well the technological parameters and of the view of technological and commercial concurrences. 
So the »Furnaces of Wholly Hema« were displaced form the »Slovenian furnaces« because these greater ore and charcoal effectiveness and a higher pro¬ductivity step (maximal »lupes« 200 kg : 800 kg), and greater production life (10 years : approx. 20 y.) greater productivity / man, etc.
The main influence of the trade was the interchange of knowledge and innovations, thou scarcelly noted in this times. Much more is noted the influence of money. The knowledge was developed in the fami-lies and carefully protected in the opposite, the mo¬ney has circulated with the trade.

The gathered conclusions show, that the learning of the »hazardous life« is necessary, because the »safe and secure life« becomes the factor of regres-sion, which also has to be paid, as well as the risks. We can only choose between two possibilities, booth unpleasant, dangerous, and bad:
- To look into the future and learn on the mistakes made in the past, or
- To look into the past and be afraid from the future.
The consequence of the first is the decision, for an oriented and controlled development. The conse¬quence of the second is to raise the hands and wait, what will be will be and to dream forward about the past.
The first is built on the natural processes of decom¬position and composition - emergence, the appea¬rance of novelties, the development of innovations, the implementation of decomposition as a part of growth of life, etc.
The second is based on the decay of all structures - entropy. The decomposition of mass structures, sys-tems; life, energy and space dissipation, etc.

The SOCRATES analytic tools and methods were afterwards used also in the further two books, pub-lished by the author. So the further work has led af-terwards to new conclusions, especially of the influ-ence of the old religion on the life, technology, transportation and trade and these remains in the modern life.
The second book (published 2004) deals with the districts, primarily also involved into the ironworking, situated on the northern part of the region, in the val-ley opened from the east to the west, situated under the mountains and these connections with the other part of the region and to the outside world.
The third book (published only in the online version 2010) analyses the roots and goals (targets), reasons and consequences of specific development steps of the life in this region, especially the influences of specializa-tion on the directions of the development.

Author, 2010.02.02.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 229-232) and index.
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