Miner Bottle (Drinkblik)

This is a miner bottle (‘drinkblik’ in Dutch) used underground inside the mines. This particular type of bottle is an old model, which dates back to the 1930’s. Every miner brought his own drinking bottle from home and these were usually filled at the mine with drinks such as water, coffea, tea, or milk. Miners used to make long working days, and so this water bottle was essential to have throughout the day. Considering the high temperatures underground, it was important to drink enough throughout the day to prevent dehydration. This particular type of bottle was made of metal which made it resistant to the harsh conditions inside the mines. Furthermore, a bottle made of metal was able to keep the liquid inside the bottle at its ‘above-ground’ temperature much longer than bottles of different materials. Considering this particular type of bottle was used around the 1930’s, it is still in very good condition. Location: Nederlands Mijnmuseum, Heerlen (Limburg) Created by: Tolboom Quinten