Unique stove and other artefacts from the centre of Brno

In December, archaeologists began the fourth stage of their research at the so-called Roman Square in Brno. This site in the historical centre of the city in Franciscan Street is truly rich in artifacts. Archaeologists have already taken several boxes of them from here.

They've dug down to the sewage pits, the oldest of which scientists believe dates back to the 13th century. "Once again, we've added several banana crate finds, which just reaffirms the fact that the cesspits are an important source of material finds culture, which provide insight into the life of the inhabitants of medieval and modern Brno," said archaeologist Lenka Sedláčková from the Archaia Brno Institute.

While at the end of last year archaeologists discovered a unique green tile with a pelican motif, which feeding its chicks with blood from its own torn chest, they were now surprised by the discovery of a skull. They pulled it from the backfill of one of the pits. "Given the absence of other skeletal remains, especially the lower jaw and cervical vertebrae, it is likely that the skull was simply moved into the pit from elsewhere. This was sometime during the 15th century. However, we can only guess how the skull got into the pit," Sedláčková said about one of the latest finds.

In addition to the skull, archaeologists also discovered pottery, animal bones, glass, eggshells and pieces of textiles. These are relatively rare, as fabrics naturally decompose over time. As for the aforementioned green stove, it was found in a 15th-century pit. According to archaeologists, the pelican is a religious motif, specifically a symbol of the Saviour bringing new life to people through his sacrifice.

Such a motif has already appeared in Brno. "However, it is always a depiction in a circular medallion, usually in an unglazed version," Sedláčková noted. In contrast, the glazed stove found was apparently part of a beautiful, lavish stove. Archaeologists began excavating the Roman Square last year, and have now completed it and are analysing the artefacts found.

The Roman Square in Brno is considered one of the most valuable historical sites in Brno. It used to be called Jewish Square because it was located in the middle of the Jewish quarter. Today, it doesn't even have a name anymore, as it has been part of Franciscan Street for about 150 years. The most famous Brno historian Milena Flodrová writes about Roman Square in her book Brno in the Changes of Time.

According to Flodrová, the place was called Roman Square between 1744 and 1867. "Originally it was actually the Jewish Square, because it was located in the very centre of the original Brno district. Not the ghetto! Brno's Jewish Quarter was never separated from the rest of the city by a wall or an impenetrable wall. On the contrary. The Jews belonged to the other colonists who came to the Brno basin at the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries, and like the rest of them, they settled there too. For example, Jews fled to Brno from Germany, where persecution broke out between 1339 and 1349," the historian writes in her book.

Sources: www.archaiabrno.org, www.brunn.cz, Milena Flodrová, Brno in the Changes of Time