Date: 19. January 2026
Time to read: 1 min
A little over two years ago, a surprising discovery was made in the small village of Čadrg in the Tolmin area. While restoring livestock watering points, six fir logs were found submerged deep in the mud. This turned out to be a major discovery, as the logs came from trees that had grown more than 6,000 thousand years ago, during the pile-dwelling period. Renowned Slovenian violin maker Daniel Musek used this precious wood to craft a violin, which he named the Mother Violin.
The miracle from Čadrg
The logs were discovered by chance during the restoration of fifteen livestock watering ponds. When six fir logs were pulled out of the mud, local brothers Jani and Gorazd Kutin, were surprised, as fir trees no longer grow in this area. Given that the discovery was so unusual, they sent the wood for analysis, which revealed its astonishing age: it is more than 6,500 years old.
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They suspect that the trees were brought down by a windstorm. Photo: Jani in Gorazd Kutin
The Triglav National Park Institute described the find as the miracle from Čadrg, as, despite its exceptional age, the wood was still in good condition and suitable for processing. Buried deep in mud for thousands of years it had been protected from oxygen and microorganisms that could have caused it to decay.
The Mother Violin
When the renowned violin maker from Škofja Loka, Daniel Musek, a graduate of the prestigious violin making school in Cremona, heard of this extraordinary discovery, he contacted the Kutin brothers that very same day. Together, they recognised the potential of the wood, which, despite its age, was of sufficient quality to make top-quality instruments and had exceptional resonance potential.
The wood was cut into suitably sized pieces before the design, research and craft work began in Daniel Musek's studio. A particular challenge was how to preserve the natural grey-green tones of the wood. To do this, he had to develop a special varnish for this particular wood.
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Violin maker Daniel Musek apprenticed as a teenager under the renowned Slovenian luthier Vilim Demšar and later graduated in Cremona, Italy. Photo: Anja Musek
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The Mother Violin was played by violinist Lana Trotovšek at the central state ceremony celebrating Independence and Unity Day. Photo: Žiga Živulović Jr.F.A.Bobo
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Daniel Musek makes violins in a workshop in the historic old town of Škofja Loka. Photo: Anja Musek
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The story of the fir tree that became a violin was also the central theme of the central state ceremony celebrating Independence and Unity Day. Photo: Žiga Živulović Jr.F.A.Bobo
After approximately six months, the prehistoric wood was transformed into a musical instrument with superb acoustic properties and a unique appearance.
Daniel Musek crafted a violin – the first in a series of string instruments that will rank among the most exceptional in the world. Due to the limited amount of wood, no more than twelve such instruments will be produced, each unique in both appearance and sound.
Master craftsman Musek hopes that these instruments will one day form a string quartet or a small string orchestra.
The Mother Violin is more than just a musical instrument, it tells the story of Slovenia as a green country, its natural heritage and the creativity of its people.
