Editorial board, Veronika Kotradyová
Wood splitting is a basic technique for shaping wood, where the wood is separated along its growth fibres. The technique was used in the Stone Age even before metal tools began to be used. In archaeological finds around the world massive wooden wedges have been preserved, which were hammered across the trunk of the trees, thus enabling the trunk to be split along its whole length and forming planks. In the traditional rural environment, splitting wood was an important job. This technique was used most for the production of shingles used to cover the roof of log buildings. Splitting wood as a secondary technique was used in several types of home-based wood processing. Today in Slovakia there are several dozen producers of traditional split shingles which are mainly used for renovating historic buildings. They are less often seen when replacing the roofs of non-heritage buildings or in the construction of modern buildings in regions where log houses with shingle roofing are traditional. They have a role to play in renovations as well as new housing. The situation in Austria and other Alpine countries is different.