Remnants of a Gothic stove at the château in Pardubice

On the types of stove construction elements at the turn of the 16th century

Abstract

The study is conceived as a complex evaluation of a very large volume of debris from a Gothic stove found in 1997 during an archaeological excavation of the château in Pardubice. The stove was destroyed likely in a fire at the turn of the 16th century. The debris is composed mostly of panel and vessel tiles in the standard formal range. Stove construction elements are also represented in large numbers, especially panels of several formal and size formats. The assemblage of ceramic panels is unique from a pair of perspectives (temporarily), even on an international scale. It is also unparalleled with respect to the overall quantity and formal variety. However, evidence for a more detailed functional interpretation of the panels is missing for now. The evaluation of the find is concluded with a discussion on the social context. However, an answer to the key question as to whether the social standing of the noble family was projected into the appearance of the stove cannot be positively formulated, though it seems rather unlikely.