A COLLECTION OF RENAISSANCE TILES FROM THE TOWN HALL IN BYTOM

Archaeological research on the market square of the old town in Bytom were conducted in the years 1997-1999 on the occasion of rebuilding of underground installations and modernization of the surface. In their course relics of the town hall consisting of two one-tract wings of earlier erected, western, and subsequenly the eastern one, added around the half of the 16th century, had two cellars. The rst one, divided into three rooms, was situated under a bit older part, and was accessible immediately from the market place surface, whereas the second, divided into two localities was accesible from the room of the higher storey. In the rubble heap of these rooms lling an interesting collection of stove tiles was found. In the town hall 1189 fragments of tiles were found, as well as 2 complete bowl forms and 2 plates decorated with rosettes. Among the fragments specimens formed in matrixes - 585 specimens, 378 walls and 226 bowl tiles were distinguished. Except not numerous specimens the majority of the collection may be divided on the grounds of observed similarities of forms, metrical features and stylistics of decoration into three coherent technological-formal groups, which may be remains of two stoves. One may have been made on plan of a circle of bigger brown bowl tiles, whereas the other of green tiles, bowl and plate ones or, what is less probable, only plate ones. Reconstruction of the stoves from Bytom town hall needs further research, however at present as most probable should be recognized assignations concerning the dating of the green stove. It seems that it was built after 1526, in the second quarter of the 16th century