Smithery was once one of the most respected crafts. Without it, life in the village was almost unthinkable. The craft was most active during the end of the XIX century and in the beginnig of the XX, but decreased over time. It has been preserved longer in the rural regions. Today the situation is different, there are fewer blacksmiths and jobs for them, but the existence of some smithies shows that the craft is not forgotten.

Smithery evolved in the Iron Age (about 1.000 years B.C.) when the knowledge of iron melting spread throughout the Middle East and Ancient Greece. In the Serbian medieval state, there were entire villages where the population was engaged in this craft, especially those near the monasteries.

Blacksmiths made ​mostly agricultural tools: plows, plowshares,harrows, hoes, shovels, spades, sickles, scythes, rakes, parts for the car, axes, fireplace equipment, as well as charms, shoeing horses and cows, wheel circuits, making plows and repairing various tools. Blacksmith's tools include various types of hammers, modern and blacksmith tongs (which were once producted in smithies), the special iron anvil, the modern stove as opposed to the former brick kilns, welding machines, worktables and other working accessories. As the iron cools quickly while working, a blacksmith required assistants in his work (except in the case of manufacturing simple artifacts). Smithery is perishing today, but fortunately for blacksmiths, they are still needed for repairing agricultural machines.

Interesting facts

The influx of industrial products was a threat to all crafts, and so for the smithery. Blacksmith guilds protected against such competition. It was noted that at the guild meeting, which was held in 1930, a decision was made '' that the masters will not repair industrial artifacts and that the one who did that, will be punished with 10 dinars in favor of the guild poor.''