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technology
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 The
best innovations were certainly those made between late Medieval times until
the end of the 19th century. The oldest form of mine lighting in Central
Europe was simply a wooden torch. Pieces of highly resinous larch or pine
wood, 10-15 cm long, were cut into flat or rectangular strips, often
impregnated with wax.
The first findings of the Celtic mining industry for rock-salt at
Hallstatt go back to 900-400 B.C. These early miners held their torches in
their mouths. When they lost their teeth, they were obliged to abandon their
means of livelihood.
Later, torches were set in metal brackets, and some were used in the
Tyrol right up to the 19th century. In Egypt, open lamps burning oil or fat,
made of gold, bronze or clay, were already in use thousands of years ago.
The first clay lamps were probably brought to Central Europe by the Roman
legionaries, and there were even some very simple lamps in stone.
Vegetable oil or animal fat was used as fuel. The first lamps in wrought
iron go back to the 16th century. Later, single parts were welded with
brass, and finally proper lamps were made in one piece. Simple lamps were
always open, but later, in the 17th century, oil lamps were closed, to stop
the oil from spilling out.
Around the mid-18th century, a special oil lamp came into being, small
and light: the Schelle or Kopfschelle (head-lamp) as its name implies, it
was worn on the front of the miner?s cap, clearly illuminating his working
field and leaving his hands free.
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