Archaeological Research of the Modern ‘Dvořák’ Brickworks: Cadastral Area of Vysoké Mýto

Arkadiusz Tajer, Miroslav Kaňka

Archeologia technica, vol. 36 (2025)
Pages: 28–42
Language: Czech
Type of article: scientific article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.61574/AT.2025.28

Abstract:
In 2023, archaeological excavations were carried out in the area of the former brickworks on the outskirts of Vysoké Mýto in connection with the construction of the D35 motorway between Vysoké Mýto and Džbánov. Archaeological research of the brickworks site on the western outskirts of the town yielded a significant discovery of an unknown, or rather forgotten, technical monument that existed here in the 19th century. One of the important conclusions of the research is certainly the finding that the uncovered remains of a kiln with two adjacent chambers are currently the only physically documented example of this type of brick kiln in our country. Work with written sources mentioning the operation for the first time in 1839 made it possible to discover the name of the original founder of the brickworks and to trace his successors until the facility ceased to exist in the 1850s. Special attention was paid to the kiln, to which a second chamber was added before 1839. This solution is part of a more general phenomenon applied to brick kilns in the 19th century, which we have termed ‘duplication’. For clarification, we also provide other examples from our territory where the duplication of kilns, the duplication of their chambers, or the heating of kilns from two sides was used, and we attempt to outline the typology of the duplication motif.