A craftsperson who makes or repairs wooden barrels, casks, and other staved containers. An artisan specializing in cooperage.
From Middle Dutch 'kuper,' related to 'kup' (cask). The craft was essential for storing and transporting liquids, making coopers vital to trade and commerce in pre-industrial societies.
Coopering was considered one of the most skilled crafts because barrels had to be perfectly watertight without using any nails or glue - just precisely shaped wood and metal hoops. A master cooper could make a barrel that would hold wine for decades using only geometry and craftsmanship.
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