K možnostem interpretace stavebního vývoje kaple hradu Velešín, okr. Český Krumlov

Originally, the royal castle Velešín belonged, since the time of its origin in the second half of the 13th century, among one of the power footholds in the region and retained its function even through repeated changes of ownership rights till the end of the Hussite Wars. A newly undertaken archaeological investigation brought to light crucial information about building development of the sacral building‘s standing torso which is the dominant building of the inner castle nowadays. Placed on top of the destruction of original castle stands a modest, early modern chapel formed by complex building development. Provided the existence of a standalone castle chapel in the inner castle area, a small segment of wall forming the northern segment of presbytery of the current sacral structure could be part of it. However, it is not entirely possible to fully exclude the possibility of this wall being fragment of a nowadays defunct feature adjacent to the bailey-sided wall of the northern palace in the inner castle e.g. stairway risalit or a wall dividing the elongated inner castle into several parts

An Overview of Southern Bohemian Hilltop Settlements from Prehistory to the Late Middle Ages

[full article, abstract in English; abstract in Lithuanian] The Southern Bohemian Region belongs to regions where many hilltop settlements had been built since the Early Stone Age. However, the first fortified systems were built in the Late Bronze Age, as hilltops, mountain peaks, and promontories were fortified using complex systems of ramparts and ditches. This phenomenon thereafter continued into younger prehistoric periods, especially the Early Iron Age, resulting in the foundation of hilltops in the Early Middle Ages, starting with the 9th century and frequently continuing in the form of castles and manor houses built in the Middle Ages and the Modern Period. This paper is not only an attempt to summarize and survey the use of hilltop sites and the continuity of settlements but also an effort to state their classification, characteristics, and function considering their practical, social and symbolical roles, which can be detected in both prehistoric (sophisticated fortifications with no practical use, relocation) and medieval (show of power, the question of defence) heritage

Application of non-destructive archeological methods at the Department of Archaeology in Plzen

Non-destructive archaeological approaches and methods have become an inseparable part of archaeological monument survey. They are also frequently used at the Department of Archaeology in Plzen. Here, over the past years, they have been applied in a number of cases. These include non-destructive documentation works on barrow burial and hill top sites, or the Middle Age and Modern settlements in forested areas Other significant activities have been carried out by means of geophysical surveys or aerial photography and remote sensing of Earth.Non-destructive archaeological approaches and methods have become an inseparable part of archaeological monument survey. They are also frequently used at the Department of Archaeology in Plzen. Here, over the past years, they have been applied in a number of cases. These include non-destructive documentation works on barrow burial and hill top sites, or the Middle Age and Modern settlements in forested areas Other significant activities have been carried out by means of geophysical surveys or aerial photography and remote sensing of Earth

Dynamic changes in genomic and social structures in third millennium BCE central Europe

Europe’s prehistory oversaw dynamic and complex interactions of diverse societies, hitherto unexplored at detailed regional scales. Studying 271 human genomes dated ~4900 to 1600 BCE from the European heartland, Bohemia, we reveal unprecedented genetic changes and social processes. Major migrations preceded the arrival of “steppe” ancestry, and at ~2800 BCE, three genetically and culturally differentiated groups coexisted. Corded Ware appeared by 2900 BCE, were initially genetically diverse, did not derive all steppe ancestry from known Yamnaya, and assimilated females of diverse backgrounds. Both Corded Ware and Bell Beaker groups underwent dynamic changes, involving sharp reductions and complete replacements of Y-chromosomal diversity at ~2600 and ~2400 BCE, respectively, the latter accompanied by increased Neolithic-like ancestry. The Bronze Age saw new social organization emerge amid a ≥40% population turnover.Peer reviewe

Předhradí středověkých hradů ve světle písemných pramenů

projektem OP VK PVBV – Popularizace vědy a badatelsky orientované výuky, reg. č. CZ.1.07/2.3.00/45.00