Torilo, Velika planina, first half of the 20th century

»Torilo« is a wooden, usually round bowl, turned and hand-made from one piece of wood, which has holes at the bottom for draining the whey from the curd or salty cheese.

Shepherds made them from different types of wood, from black hornbeam, elm, maple, and pear. The bottom of the bowl was usually decorated with a cross, IHS and heart, smaller crosses, plant motifs and other ornamentation. The motif was imprinted in the curd. At the same time, there were 5 to 6 holes at the bottom for draining the whey.

Bowls were obtained in Kopač’s collection from various huts, like from Mežnarjeva hut on Gojška planina, from Hbanova, Roševa, Bosova huts on Velika planina, from Kregarjeva hut on Dovja raven and elsewhere. 12 bowls are preserved in Kopač’s collection.

They are from the collection of Vlasto Kopač (1913-2006), architect, mountaineer, alpinist, illustrator and publicist, expert in the field of natural and cultural heritage protection. The most powerful monument of his work is the preserved and protected unique pastoral architecture and heritage on Velika planina.

After Kopač’s death, at the initiative of dr. Tone Cevc and architect Mojca Kopač, the collection was purchased in September 2007 with the financial support of the Municipality of Kamnik. It contains 486 items of pastoral heritage from Velika planina, which began to be created in the 1930s. Part of Kopač’s collection is on display at the permanent exhibition about Velika planina.