In the vicinity of the old-fashioned Koljas boatman's cottage, a hidden treasure reveals itself to the attentive visitor - an ancient place where people once made tar.

Gaze upon the old tar stone, a place bearing witness to centuries of labor and craftsmanship. In the stone, which lies flat on the ground, you will find an engraved ring that once fitted perfectly around the pot used for burning tar. Stone slabs at the sides helped to maintain an intense heat in the process.

In times past, it was common to produce tar on a small scale using a simple method. A smooth stone slab, the surface of which sloped gently, was used as a base. A channel was created from the center of the slab to its edge, like the veins of a leaf, to guide the tar.

A massive cast-iron pot was filled with finely chopped tar wood and then turned upside down over the hob, with the end of the gutter exactly under the pot. The clay was applied around the edges of the pot to prevent the wood in the pot from igniting. The cut-out channel on the hill was covered by a flat stone, and this too was sealed with clay. Larger stones were placed around the edge of the hob, forming an oven-like structure around the pot.

Subsequently, a fire was lit in the space surrounding the cauldron. After some time, the liquid tar began to slowly flow down the gutter and was collected in a vessel below. This method of producing tar was common in southern Sweden and Värmland during the 19th century and into the 20th century.

At Skogstorp Ekliden this tradition continued until the 1910s. There, tar was not only used to seal boats or buildings, but also as a medicine. When the cows got sick and the milk or butter had a bitter taste, tar became the solution. Herring heads were dipped in tar and fed to the cows, which quickly regained their health, and the milk became delicious again. Even when the cows lost hair and got stains, tar was used - applied carefully with a stick.

The raw material used in tar burning was pine wood, rich in resin. Old pine stumps were broken up and chopped into small pieces. Dry pines that had been attacked by the dry rot fungus and had tarry parts in the tree were also used. Even the lying logs with tarry layers were used for this purpose.

Therefore, as you stroll along the Slereboån valley and pause at the old tar stone, let your imagination take you back in time when people here created tar that served as both an important resource and a cure for nature's riddles. It is a place where history merges with the beauty of nature and where every stone carries a story of survival and craftsmanship.

Photo: Pelle Dalberg