Pot hanger (skjerding)

What is a skjerding?

A skjerding is a hanger for cooking pots and kettles above an open hearth. Skore is an alternative name used in Setesdal. The device allows the distance between the vessel and the fire to be adjusted.

Different constructions

A suspended type can have two connected iron parts with notches for height adjustment. A swinging type has a horizontal arm attached to a vertical bar, allowing the hanger to move sideways as well. The Norwegian term therefore covers several constructions, not just one particular hook or chain.

The Museum of Cultural History describes medieval soapstone pots with iron handles that allowed them to hang from such a device. This documents a cooking practice, but does not date a loose hanger found today to the Middle Ages.

What should be examined?

Record the entire assembly, hooks, notches, joints and fixing points. Note missing parts, repairs to connections and whether the mechanism moves without force. A loose hook should not automatically be identified as a complete pot hanger.

When buying a rural antique, ask for provenance or documented comparisons supporting a claimed age and local origin. Rust, soot and a hand-forged appearance alone do not provide precise dating. Do not load an old hanger with a cooking vessel before its condition has been professionally assessed.

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Sources

Store norske leksikon and the Museum of Cultural History on cooking at Vesle Hjerkinn. See also Strinda Historical Society on constructions.