The paths of the Šavrinke

 What did a Šavrinka carry?

“Could you keep your balance with a plenjer on your head?”

The jerbas or plenjer was a round woven basket with a flat bottom and handles, designed to be carried on the head. Beneath the basket, the women placed a svitek—a soft, ring-shaped pad—and kept their balance with a steady, straight posture. Eggs were carefully layered between rows of straw; a single jerbas could hold several hundred eggs, while the saddlebags (bisage) on a donkey could hold a thousand or more.

The donkey was not just a means of transport, but a crucial part of the Šavrinke trade. Historical accounts recall that having a donkey, saddlebags, a plenjer, and a well-established route was equivalent to owning a good car today.

Take a look at the items. What would you take with you on a two- or three-day journey if you had to carry everything yourself?

Photo source: B. Orel, Slovene Ethnographic Museum Photo Archives (SEM)