2019

Roofs of Buildings of the Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum are Restored Using Birch Barks Acquired in Latvia’s State Forests

The drizzly autumn weather can surprise even the most experienced nature friends. However, the amount of precipitation will no longer affect the buildings of the Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum, which were restored this year by experienced museum restorers using the methods of our ancestors, choosing birch barks from the territory managed by JSC “Latvia's State Forests” (LVM).

“Materials that were once widely available have become rare or exclusive, so we highly appreciate the responsiveness of Latvia’s State Forests and their contribution to obtaining non-standard materials and restoring the roofs of the museum,” says Kristīne Kūla, Deputy Director of the Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum.

Armands Ķiploks, LVM Forestry Specialist, tells that this year, around the Midsummer time, he together with his colleagues and museum craftsmen travelled to an LVM felling site to select the most suitable birches for restoring the historic roofs. “Working together was the best way to keep the birch barks in the highest quality possible without interfering with the logging works. We are happy to have been able to help and support museum's craftsmen, who respect and continue the ancestral tradition of appreciating the good qualities of wood and its waterproofing ability,” says the logger.

“Restoration of ethnographic roofs is a labour-intensive and specific process. Restoration of ethnographic roofs in the museum requires laths that are made by our restorers and birch barks the acquisition of which requires assistance. Birch barks are used as a waterproofing material, but the overlaid roof laths only as a structural reinforcement material. Birch barks have to be of high quality, namely, without any pronounced embossing or holes, they must be at least 60 cm x 50 cm in size, and cut in time - just a couple of weeks around the time of the summer solstice,” says the representative of the Latvian Ethnographic Open Air Museum.

  Open gallery 

Birch barks for the Latvian Ethnographic Open Air Museum

As a result of successful cooperation, the roof of the 19th century sauna building in the Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum was renovated (with the total area of 81 square metres) and materials have been obtained to replace the roofing of the museum's exhibit in a Kurzeme fishing village and elsewhere.