Slovenia can boast one of the oldest Philharmonic Societies in Europe, whose honorary members included Haydn and Beethoven, an Academy of Sciences and Arts that has its roots in the 17th century, one of Europe's oldest pharmacies, and a host of other eminent legacies of a long creative life. Discovered in 1492, the mercury mine in Idrija was the second largest mercury mine in the world for centuries and stimulated the development of science, medicine, and technology in Slovenia and in Europe. Along with important natural science, technical, and other discoveries and innovations, Slovenia has always preserved its ethnological features and traditions. Even today, the kozolec, a traditional rack for drying hay and other field crops, can been seen all across Slovenia. The double kozolec is unique in the world and delights the eye with the originality of its construction and its ornate decoration. Along with its universally known breed of honeybee, a special feature of Slovenia is the colourful beehive panel decorated with religious, historical, and frequently humourous scenes found on the front of the original Slovene beehive. In the 18th and 19th centuries there were at least fifty thousand in existence, and the more than six hundred preserved motifs remain a genuine gallery of folk art. Slovene originality is also reflected in numerous Carnival costumes, among which the kurent figure from Ptujsko polje is especially interesting. With its long leather nose, red tongue, cowbells, and staff decorated with a hedgehog skin, the kurent drives winter from the land. In every corner of Slovenia, visitors are pleasantly surprised by new and different culinary delicacies and by the autochthonous wines along the more than twenty Wine Roads that crisscross its three winegrowing regions. Slovene wines are popularly served with homemade sausage specialties, karst prsut (prosciutto) dried in the bora wind, and other original Slovene dishes. Among Slovenia's many historical legacies, its original skis arouse special respect. One of the oldest means of transportation on the high Bloke plateau in central Slovenia, they were first documented in the 17th century. Their autochthonous character and originality prove the assertion that Slovenes are among the oldest skiers in Central Europe. While the people of the Bloke plateau spent the winter days on them using them to transport goods, overcome distances, and go about their work, at the same time they also used them for various games and pure pleasure.