Collection Of Rennaissance Glass

Ancient glass represent an important part of the project finds. Its presence is related primarily to former wells and sink holes. These features used to be situated in the back part of a plot. Once precious glass became part of waste when it went out of use or fashion and therefore it is frequently found in fragments. When found it goes directly to the laboratory where it is cleaned, recorded and conservated. Especially demanding and time consuming is final completion of particular objects when it is possible.

This way already processed group of glass comes from rectangular sink hole situated in the south-eastern part of excavated area. The collection shows rich in shapes production of Renaissance glassworkers. Besides traditional shapes these craftsmen were trying to imitate in that time very popular Venetian glass. Table glass ware includes different cups with bell shaped stand, cylindrical cups with optic decoration, tiny cups with applications and also cylindrical celebratory cup with enamel paint decoration in several fragments. Besides these drinking vessels there were identified different pots, jugs and bottles made of transparent - greenish, opaque - milky and also bluish - cobalt colored glass.

Aside of all this material is industrial/laboratorial glass - documenting the existence of destilling apparatus in the house. This collection of glass finds perfectly illustrates an important part of townsman house equipment in the territory of the New Town of Prague during the 16th-17th centuries.

J. Podliska

Unexpected Romanesque palace found

The uncovering of a torso of a built of stone Romanesque house represents the most surprising and valuable event of this season. This feature situated inside of the southern wing of the main barracks building used to stand on the edge of a later square. Public circulation layers of this square began to cover the destruction horizon of the Romanesque house in the 14th century. With removal of this layers the Romanesque foundations entrenched for some 150 cm into the natural subsoil were uncovered. Besides splendid sandstone column base with angle spur (picture 2) there remained fragments of Romanesque masonry several times disturbed by the barracks foundations. As we keep digging here, so far we are able to estimate at least the dimensions of entire feature and reconstruct its disposition (picture 3). It was no doubt monumental building of palatial type and we have distinguished already two separated rooms here. The monumental hall (about 5x14 m) in the southern part of the building was vaulted with a representative cross vault supported by 2 maybe even 3! sandstone columns with decorative bases and capitals. We do not have any comparable parallel of such space among Prague Romanesque houses. A separated room (at least 5x4 m) north of this hall was uncovered as well. Its walls survived to the height of 1,5 m (picture 4,5). Both here found walls display well the masonry technique of that time showing to viewer the ashlar masonry interior face. We are able to date this building back to the second half of the 12th century. Its destruction can be well connected with the construction of the city walls of the Old Town of Prague in the 30's of the 13th century.

P. Juřina

The Riding-hall excavation

The excavation of the riding-hall of the former barracks of Jiří z Poděbrad runs in these days as well (picture 6). The building from 1858 is first of all attractive for its technically and esthetically perfect wooden roof frame (picture 7) and according to the project it will be later incorporated into a new construction.

As the developers plan to create underground spaces also here, the building was first fixed statically to allow safe excavations inside (picture 8).

The place where the riding-hall stands has long and rich history. As well as the rest of the barracks area it is situated within a town founded by the emperor Charles IV in 1348. In accord with the southern line of the street Na poříčí also here there were gradually built townsmen houses during the gothic and renaissance period. These were demolished prior to the construction of the complex of the Capuchin monastery. The Capuchins obtained this block of houses in the 30's of the 17th century in order to build their new monastery and the garden. This block did not fit into their conception and so it served as a building material quarry for their convent and the church of St. Joseph. The remaining debris served for leveling of the planned garden terrain.

Excavation and recording of these houses wall remains is being done right now. The pictures show cellar walls and paving of one of several already uncovered gothic-renaissance houses (picture 9). In the center of a paving there is a ventilation hole for a 2nd storey of a cellar, which survived possibly intact ceiling including (picture 10). This space will be carefully investigated soon as well.

M. Omelka