Title in English: Dřici z Koňskeho něba. Traditional Leatherworking and the Disappeared Production of Whips in the Moravian-Silesian Borderlands
The book “Dřici z Koňskeho něba” is the result of many years of research by ethnologist Václav Michalička on the leatherworking industry that emerged in the 19th century on the Moravian-Silesian border in the village of Metylovice. The harness-making industry played a major role in the transformation of the life of the local village community. The book offers readers an introduction to the beginnings of leather production in the region, the phenomenon of the Metylovice whip and the position of harness makers within the local community. The book also includes broader themes focusing on the changes in the position of women in the village and in production itself, on festive moments in the life of the local community, the disappearance of leather production in the face of the repression of the totalitarian regime, and the process of rediscovering the harness-making tradition of Metylovice in the present day.
