Abstract
A unique collection of high-quality late medieval (fifteenth–sixteenth century) glazed and unglazed stove tiles from the northern part of the Carpathian Basin is of great interest to archaeologists and art historians. It is yet to be determined if these products, which are characterised by similar features, were produced in a single workshop, perhaps in Besztercebánya/Banská Bystrica (in present-day Slovakia), or in several workshops throughout the region. The first systematic multi-analytical investigation was carried out on the ceramic body and glaze of one hundred and seventeen tile fragments from six sites (Besztercebánya/Banská Bystrica, Fülek/Fiľakovo, and Csábrág/Čabraď in Slovakia; Salgó, Eger, and Szécsény in Hungary) using polarising microscopy, X-ray diffraction, electron microprobe, and Raman microspectroscopy analyses to determine the raw materials and production techniques used. Based on the petrographic characteristics, phase and chemical composition of the ceramic body, and the chemical composition and colourants of the glazes, the stove tiles can be classified into three primary groups. Tiles from different sites are different to each other, only the tiles from the Hungarian sites and from Fülek/Fiľakovo are similar. Thus, it is probable that the tiles were produced in several (at least three) workshops in the region from where they were then dispersed. The technological knowledge of the master(s) producing the polychrome Csábrág/Čabraď tiles with tin-opacified glazes was higher than that of the master(s) producing the other tiles. However, the exact location of the workshops as well as their existence through time is still in unknown.
Highlights
After the Roman hypocaustrum system, only ovens and open fireplaces were used for heating, until stoves were invented around the twelfth century in the region of Switzerland
We present a comprehensive analysis of the late medieval stove tiles, focusing on the chemical composition of the ceramic body, as well as the microstructural and microchemical characterisation of the glazes
The ceramic body was investigated by polarising microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis for all the studied tiles
Summary
After the Roman hypocaustrum system, only ovens and open fireplaces were used for heating, until stoves were invented around the twelfth century in the region of Switzerland (de Langhe et al 2015; Kocsis 2018). Stoves were the beating heart of homes from peasant houses to castles, and made winters a lot more bearable. The greatest benefit of the stoves is that it does not produce smoke inside the homes. Stoves were used for heating and as an important symbol of the owner’s wealth and the fashion of the time. From the end of the fourteenth century, the stoves were decorated with diverse ornamentations, such as ornamental motifs, coats of arms, 284 Page 2 of 23
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