HERALDIC IMAGES ON THE TILES OF KOROLEVO CASTLE NYALAB

Abstract

The castle of Nyaláb is located near the village of Korolevo, Vynohradiv district of Zakarpatska oblast of Ukraine. It is distinguished by a very rich cultural layer, a complicated stratigraphy, and a significant number of finds. During the field seasons of 2007, 2011 – 2017 the expedition of Uzhhorod National University studied there three living-rooms, the construction of four tile stoves and found thousands of samples of ceramic, stove-tiles, leather, bones, glass and metal products. The general dating of the finds is the end of XIII – middle of XVII centuries.A collection of the stove-tiles which are not directly related to particular tile-stove consists of different types of tiles: pot-shaped, onion-shaped, panel, and hybrid tiles with floral and zoomorphic décor, anthropomorphic and zoomorphic images, religious themes, heraldic symbols, as well as crest tiles from the upper framing of tile-stove etc. The finds are formed with well elutriated clay dough with larger or smaller admixture of sand. They are well fired (mainly resonant). The stove-tiles are from ocher to light grey and dark brown in color.Separate and numerous groups of stove-tiles from the castle of Korolevo consist of finds with heraldic symbols (the coats of arms of the king Matthias I Corvinus, Perényi family, and the Hapsburgs). According to precise definition by Š. Holčík a look at coat of arms warmed the owners up even if the stove was not hot. Definitely it was about owner of the castle or his high-ranking guests only.Sometimes the stove-tiles depicting a coat of arms of deceased ruler have been used too. Obviously they had been used as décor and did not bear any special content. The stove-tiles fragments of XVI century depicting heraldic symbols of the king Matthias I Corvinus represents this category at the castle of Nyaláb.Nyaláb is the only place where the stove-tiles with Perényi family, one of the most influential in Hungary, coat of arms have been discovered by now. The finds are represented by three molds. Despite the fact that this image has been found on stove-tiles for the first time it is well known for epitaphs from Abaújvár, Košice, Rudabánya, and Trebišov. Also Perényi coat of arms has been represented by decorations of the halls in the castles of Sárospatak, Siklós, and Korolevo. It was present on the seals of family members and in the books of Janus Pannonius and Komjáti Benedek.Habsburg coat of arms with double-headed eagle spreading the wings and tail is depicted on four stove-tiles. His paws are extended far apart. He keeps a sword in the right one and scepter in the left. Heraldic shield with Hungarian emblem is placed on the bird’s chest and a crown is overhead. There are letters A close to the sword and DM, meaning Anno Domini, near the scepter.Numerous polished relief stone slabs have been found among the fragments of wall near tile stove 4. Perényi family coat of arms (A profile of turned to the left flying bearded man’s head which keeps a crown in short leg) is depicted on one of them.