Vezető a Déri Múzeum kiállításaihoz (Debrecen, 1978)
English Summary
In our exhibition the working tools, characteristic of the 18th —19th centuries, of the peasants' farms and the most important utensils of the farmers can be seen. The wooden plough from Debrecen may have been similar to the one exhibited even in the Middle Ages. This type was displaced in Debrecen by the sontemporary steel plough in the 1860-ies. The form of the pommel saddle from Tiszafüred may have been the same in the days of the Magyar conquest. The thorn-harrow was an ancient seed-covering, tool. In the next vitrines it can be seen well that the form of the forged reaping hook had hardly changed during the centuries. It must be added that in the fcurrounding of Debrecen sorn had met been reaped by hooks since the 17th century but it was cut down by scythes, it was covered. So the thrasher-swingle had only a secondary function, because the seed was trodden out by horses from the ears. The tools of the treading ont, the treading out rake, the bisecting broom, the spreadding shovel and the leather sifter may have been known quite well even before the conqest. The different kinds of winnowers became popular in the 19th century, (the displayed piece is one of the oldest types known in Hungary.) The exhibited handpowered mills characteristic became to the middle of the 19th century already, but besides them many other archais tools are exhibited (dibble, stackcutter, hay-gathering wood hook). The miller and the herdsman carved the number of the overtaken sacks and animals on a storing stick for centuries. Corn was weighed by bushels. The smeared wicker basket was a very ancient cornstorer. We indicate with some nice tools that there ere rich vineyards also in the neighbourhood of Debrecen (a wood wine-press, archaic pruning knives, wooden and pumpkin tools of wine making, an alarm-gun from the 16th century etc.) The extensive animal breeding is indicated in a simple vitriné. We present the archaistic costume of the shepherds living here (Sziir: long embroidered felt cloak, fur-coat, shirt, linen trousers, hat with wide rim, etc.), their special working tools and utensils, pocket-knife, ornamental long whip, storing stick to count nimals on it, tools preventing them from motion, bells for kettles, cows or sheep, handbells, horns, utensils for sitting, cooking and eating, etc. Now we show the trade-historical relics, workshop tools and products of some characteristic handicrafts of Debrecen. We can see the objects of the tanners, fur-traders, shoemakers, tailors of szürs, button-makers and loop makers, comb-makers, guba-makers, pipe-makers and wheelwights. These handicrafts early gathered into trade-guilds in Debrecen, about the 14th — 15th centuries. They may have had their flourishing time at the end of the 18th century, then —except for some —began to decline and in the first half of the 20th century they died out or changed to meet the modern demands. The characteristic furnishings of a peasant's house, developed till the end of the 18th century, are shown in three parts forming a unit. The then fashionable painted arm-benches are from the end of the 17th century, and the bed-linen set reminiscent of the upper-class embroidering is from the same times (cushions, sheet). 402
