Wrocławskie Kramy Bogate w świetle najnowszych badań archeologiczno-architektonicznych posesji przy Przejściu Garncarskim 2

• Authors: Maciej Krzywka

Title variants

EN

NEWEST EVIDENCE ON RICH MERCHANTS’ BUSINESS PREMISES [IN THE MARKET SQUARE IN WROCŁAW] FROM BY THE LATEST ARCHAEOLOGICAL ARCHITECTURAL INVESTIGATION MADE AT NO. 2 PRZEJŚCIE GARNCARSKIE (GERM. TOPFKRAM)

• Languages of publication: PL

Abstracts

EN

The latest study made in the block of buildings at the centre of the Market Square at No. 2 Przejście Garncarskie St. covered an area which according to archival maps, was the north-eastern fragment of the historical complex of rich merchants’ shops and the south-eastern fragment of the area with cloth merchants’ shops. The site of investigation lies between the Przejście Żelaźnicze (German name Eisenkram) running between the northern and the southern row of rich merchants’ shops, its earlier name recorded on R. Stein’s map as “Unter den Leinwandereissem” – which separated two rows of cloth merchants’ shops. The northern buildings of the rich merchants’ shops and southern cloth shops stood back to back. Investigation of these historic urban structures called for integration of the results of historical queries, archaeological and architectural studies. After all, the archaeological features represent relics of buildings, their development, or belonged to features and structures associated with the planning of urban space. The investigation made in 2008/2009 focused on an area which, according to archival maps and reconstructions made by historians - was occupied by rich merchants’ business premises (9), cloth merchants’ shops (4) and a building of unknown function. However, no evidence on the two latter was found. If they had existed in this location they must have above-ground structures without cellars. The earlier occupation levels had been destroyed by development of the 19th century but below the cellar level sunken features from the 13th c. (pits, production vats) were discovered dug into the natural layer, and younger rectangular pits filled with stones, finally, a well, backfilled during the 15th c., was found on site of the building with an unknown function. At the lowest level of the 14th c. cellar walls of the rich merchants’ businesses relics of wooden foundations of the earliest buildings dated by pottery to the 2nd half of 13th c. They must have been dug directly into the natural layer or had had cellar. Vaulted cellars built of brick and stone repeated the system of the older timber structures. Relics of medieval walls were identified within the 19th and 20th century walls of the building at the level of cellars, ground floor and first floor. Other findings included walls which divided the cramped cellar space into separate areas, pillars, and relics of 15th and 16th c. timber undercrofts dug into the ground. An unexpected find for the architects was a 14th c. stone portal between two chambers which suggests very early stage of joining chambers together in a period when they should have been functioning as separate commercial facilities. Analysis of the detailed drawn documentation and measurements, archival photographs and iconography available on the medieval commercial facilities made it possible to identify the architectonic features unearthed during fieldwork and a provisional reconstruction of the row of rich merchants’ business premises in the Market Square in Wrocław.

Keywords

EN

MEDIEVAL COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS; MEDIEVAL; ARCHITECTURE; COMMERCE; TOWN; RECONSTRUCTION

• Publisher: Instytut Archeologii Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego
• Journal: Śląskie Sprawozdania Archeologiczne
• Year: 2011
• Volume: 53
• Pages: 283-304

Contributors

author

Maciej Krzywka

• Studia Doktoranckie, Instytut Historii Architektury, Sztuki i Techniki, Politechnika Wrocławska, ul. Bolesława Prusa 53/55, 50-317 Wrocław, Poland.