ABSTRACT
In the study of mining folklore, the miner’s garb is of particular cultural interest because its design and manner of wearing are closely associated with many of the customs that have developed. Since the seventeenth century, many immigrant miners have arrived in Germany. Many of these new arrivals were not so eager to embrace the old traditions, some of which have since gradually waned in significance. Associated with the festal uniform of mining officials was the “berghackel”, an ornamental blade fixed in a handle as a sort of staff or mace. A unique collection of framed water-coloured prints of all ranks of mining officials in their respective festal uniforms is displayed in the hall of the College of Mines of the University of Idaho. In a book published in Nuremberg in 1721, Christoph Weigel describes the duties of various mine officials and shows 49 full-page hand-coloured pictures of these officers in their festal uniforms.
