GLASN1K SED 21 (1981) 3
60

Material CULTURE in KRAS. Ethnological Exhibit in Ethnographic Museum in Ljubljana.
Writing about Kras gives one real pleasure for it is an impressive region in the extreme west of Slovenia (as well as Jugoslavia). It differs from other Slovene regions in its geographical and cultural characteristics, dialect, mentality and Physical appearance of its inhabitants. Börding on Italy on one side. Kras has always been subject to Italian influence, but because of vicinity of the sea and Istria on the South it also has all the characteristics of Mediterranean cultural area /ended with its own Slovene variant and particularities.
Kras is a region between Vipava valley and Gulf of Trieste. It is a medium-Sized plateau which lowers into the Friuli 'owland in the west and into the Gorizia lowland and Vipava valley in the north. It is difficult to precisely define its orders in the east and southeast, even the natives themselves interpret its geographical boarders in different places (i'fferenraly. But it is certain that we can divide Kras into its upper and lower part-which means into the region of wine a'ul into the region of stone. Therefore the natives in Lokve say: We are truly the natives of Kras because there is more stone here thananywhere than anywhere else. "
The word Kras originated from "karra" which may be of Indo European origin and means stone. Linked to it are so other names for Kras such as Carso or Kras Stone is the material from which all geographical and cultural Mructeristics of Kras originate. Today Kras is an international scientific synonym for rocky, partly desertic regions and geographical characteristics (for instance numerous large underground caves and other things}.
The authors of the present exhibit have not tried to present any definite boarders of the Kras region; instead they OV0 only indicated the opinions of interviewed people from some forty places in Slovenia and Italy und then tried to Ptseni, the following areas within the exhibit:
Settlements and houses
ASrtculture Livestock-Raising
"¡culture Stone-Cutting
*7"P-Making J-1 lie-Making t>nie Handcraft and Periodical Eamines
Cuhsrtug