Experts uncover unique medieval tile in Cistercian basilica

Velehrad, South Moravia - Archaeologists have uncovered rare finds from the High Middle Ages, including a unique tile with a symbol of dragon, during the archeological research accompanying the restoration of the basilica in Velehrad, a popular church pilgrimage complex.

Dragon, embodiment of evil, appears only rarely in the Cistercian premises such as the Velehrad basilica, Zdenek Schenk, from the Archaia Olomouc organisation, told CTK Saturday.

The tile was uncovered inside a brick construction in front of the entrance of the church belonging to the Velehrad monastery.

"It is a Gothic tile decorated with a relief with the dragon motif, a really wonderfully worked-out symbol of evil forces and of the devil himself in terms of the Christian ideology," Schenk said.

He said the tile dates back to the mid-13th century.

Similar symbols can be seen only rarely in Cistercian monasteries. In the Czech Republic it is a unique find, Schenk added.

Besides, the archaeologists have uncovered walls of a former corridor that linked the monastery with adjacent buildings such as the abbot's house, a chapel and a hospital.

They also uncovered some buildings that were built along the corridor before being pulled down in the 15th century.

The period of the corridor's abolition can be determined based on coins from the second half of the 15th century that were found inside.

"These are small silver coins with the Bohemian lion symbol on them, which were minted under the rule of the King George of Podebrady (1458-71)," said Schenk.

Previous finds on the basilica site include the original stone floor and late baroque canals leading rain water away. To the north of the basilica, the experts uncovered a part of a wall that protected the monastery complex from the mid-13th century at the latest.

The finds of pottery from the 9th century prove that the site was inhabited as early as under the Great Moravian empire.