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The shift towards cultivating domesticated crops was a pivotal development in ecological, economic, and human behavioural systems. As agriculture expanded beyond its origins, it faced diverse environments, often unsuitable for the originally cultivated domesticates. Farmers in Central Europe had to adjust and transform their farming systems, typically cultivating only five domesticated crop species. Here, we present new archaeobotanical data comprising 7955 determined charred remains and 22 radiocarbon dates from South Bohemia. This region, with higher altitudes, colder climates, and less fertile soils, lies on the periphery of Early Neolithic settlement. Our results reveal increased crop diversity as a form of adaptation to the harsher environment that bolstered resilience against crop failure. The earliest 14C-based evidence of deliberate cultivation of barley and Timopheev's wheat in the region also provides new insights into the interplay between crop diffusion, landscapes, and food choices in the Neolithic Central Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses a fragment of an early Gothic relief tile with an elephant motif which was found at Zvíkov Castle. Due to the location of the find (a modernera wall), the question of when and under what circumstances it got to the castle remains unanswered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2018, an agreement on a mutual course of actions and cooperation was signed by the University of South Bohemia and the town of Hluboká nad Vltavou on the restoration, presentation and further development of the immovable cultural monument Karlův hrádek u Purkarce. The management of the University entrusted the arrangement and implementation of the agreement to the Institute of Archaeology, Faculty of Arts, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, which submitted a project proposal called 'Karlův hrádek - a research and educational centre of archaeology at the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice' in 2019. In accordance with the performance of archaeological monument care and the scientific/educational purpose of the University, regular archaeological excavations - in addition to other activities (field education, terrain prospecting and documentation, specialized material and spatial analyses, registering, preservation and documentation of finds, etc.) - should be carried out at the site. It could, at the level of both basic and applied research, become a permanent research-educational particularity of the Institute in the field of medieval archaeology. In 2019, detailed geodetic documentation of the castle was initiated and the first archaeological excavation was carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution deals with the archaeological efforts of Bedřich Dubský during his career as a teacher in Paračov (Strakonice District) in 1912-1919. In 1913, he carried out excavations at the location of "U Luhu", where he unearthed at least nine sunken-floored features, most probably dating from the Late Hillfort period. The presented paper tries to locate the site on the basis of published and archival sources and a storage vessel is described in detail which is currently placed in the newly installed exhibition of the Municipal museum in Volyně. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution contains a list and an evaluation of newly discovered metal artefacts from the Hallstatt (Ha C - Ha D 2/3 - LT A) and La Tène (LT B-D) periods originating from sites distributed almost all over South Bohemia. From the viewpoint of find types, these are predominantly isolated finds. In one case, a hoard or a related activity is likely. The other objects come from newly discovered and unregistered settlement and burial contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intermediate results of a grant project focusing on Neolithic settlement of South Bohemia are presented in the article. Magnetometer survey at the sites of Dehtáře a Radčice 1 revealed several hypothetical building complexes consisting of longhouses which are usually only identified as larger magnetic anomalies reflecting the presence of longitudinal construction pits. Although the ground plans are difficult to interpret, at least their orientation can be reconstructed. All so far known longhouses in the south of Bohemia seem to more or less respect a south-north orientation. One such construction pit belonging to a longhouse was completely excavated at the site of Dehtáře. An important find made in the first year of the project is without doubt the discovery of an LBK cremation grave at Protivín which is actually the earliest known burial in the south of Bohemia. A magnetometer survey in the immediate vicinity of the findspot shows a number of smaller anomalies which could potentially be other graves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution deals with Bedřich Dubský’s excavations in the outer bailey of the early medieval hillfort of Prácheň conducted in the years 1920, 1927 and 1943 about which only little is known. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article, new isolated Bronze Age metal finds are published which have been documented in the territory of South Bohemia over the last about five years and which have not been published anywhere else. These are 137 bronze or copper artefacts from 128 sites which are dateable to all chronological phases of the Bronze Age. Some of them are quite unique in South Bohemia, with analogies in other Central European regions. Several artefacts were subjected to spectral analysis in order to determine their chemical composition. A spearhead from Horažďovice was also subjected to traceological analysis. In addition to an enrichment of the typological spectrum of artefacts, these discoveries in some cases also proved human activities in regions regarded as uninhabited or only sporadically utilized. Thus the presented article clearly shows the importance and significance of documentation and rescue of these unique finds. Their interpretive value is lower than that of those made in settlement, funerary or hoard contexts, but they are definitely not without importance for our knowledge of prehistoric settlement and human activities in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new trace of early medieval occupation from the cadastral area of Litochovice, Strakonice District. The article presents a partial result of a rescue excavation conducted in the village of Litochovice, Strakonice District, during the laying of a sewer system in 2019. An archaeological situation was observed in trenches near house no. 35 which yielded an assemblage of early medieval pottery. Macroremains analysis of samples of surrounding soil was also undertaken. This discovery complements the knowledge about medieval occupation of the Volyně region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution describes the beginnings of archaeological research in the Volyně region. Based on literature, archival sources and field survey, an attempt has been made to locate the site of "Na Hájku" near Milíkovice, from which B. Dubský recovered early medieval finds in 1911. Thanks to period documentation, it was possible to re-identify some of the finds in the heavily mixed up archaeological collections of the Municipal Museum in Volyně and to process them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution deals with the results of a rescue excavation which took place at Volyně, Strakonice District, in the summer of 2018. A small Iron Age feature was excavated in whose fill an incomplete ceramic figurine in the form of a prism was found, apart from potsherds. Analogous figurines are known from an important cultic site on Burkovák hill near Nemějice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the find of a fragmented horse figurine made during an archaeological excavation in the village of Heřmaň, Písek District. On the basis of stratigraphic relationships and accompanying pottery, the find can be dated to the 13th or early 14th century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with a relief tile with the motif of a five petal flower which was identified in the old collection of the museum of JUDr. Otakar Kudrna in Netolice. Unfortunately, the place of discovery and other find circumstances are unknown. It is reasonable to suppose that the tile comes from Netolice or its vicinity, but a more distant origin cannot be ruled out either. The tile bears traces of being placed in a bed of lime mortar, however, its non-glazed surface does not show any signs of wear. Based on analysis of the motif, the tile can be attributed to the High to Late Middle Ages, with a possible overlap into the early modern period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes and evaluates finds of flat circular shaped lead objects with a hole in the centre which were found at the hillfort of Na Jánu in Netolice. Analogous finds come from early medieval sites in both Bohemia and Moravia (e.g. Roudnice near Hradec Králové, Libice nad Cidlinou, Olomouc, Kostice). They are also quite common in the territory of present-day Poland. These objects are usually regarded as weights which is rather problematic, given their unequal weight and the absence of any markings. Some scholars speculate about their use as a means of payment. All six specimens were subjected to elemental analysis (XRF). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents new prehistoric finds from the area of the early medieval hillfort of Prácheň near Horažďovice, Klatovy District. The first find of a prehistoric potsherd was made in 1908, but it was only published by A. Beneš in the 1960s. Over the previous five years, the authors have carried out surface collection surveys on the slopes of the acropolis and collected a small ceramic assemblage which proves occupation within the area of the hillfort during the Final Bronze Age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the results of a new standard analysis of a poorly preserved assemblage of pottery and bones from two graves excavated in 1923. Based on the pottery fragments, the graves can cautiously be dated to the 10th century. The preserved remains belonged to two individuals. The degree of preservation of the skeleton is only 7.7 % in the case of the first individual. It was probably an adult, perhaps 17 to 35 years old. The sex was determined as female and the body height could not be calculated. The degree of preservation of the second individual is only 7.8 %. The age at death was estimated at 7-11 years. Based on study of archival maps and field prospecting, an attempt was made to determine a more precise location of the site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper provides basic information about two settlement areas (site 1 - Middle/Late Bronze Age BrC2/D and La Tène period LT C; site 2 - Palaeolithic/Mesolithic and La Tène period - Lt C) which were newly discovered through fieldwalking in 2015. A rescue excavation at site 2 unearthed the remains of a feature (a hut, 1/2015) which was being disturbed by ploughing. The recovered finds (stone artefacts, pottery fragments, daub and a bronze ring) expand the number of known sites from the above periods in the microregion along the lower course of the Blanice River. The paper also contains detailed analysis and chronological classification of all finds, as well as settlement-topographic analysis of the microregion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presented article describes two group coin-finds from south Bohemia. The first group of coins was discovered via exhumation of a common grave in the surroundings of Horní Lhota near Lásenice dating back to May 1945. It is represented by cash (or remaining part of it) owned by a German soldier in May 1945. The second group of coins was found at the Radíš hillfort, and it is represented by pieces in a wallet evidently lost on a trip or during forest works sometimes between 1949 and 1953. The article emphasizes importance and necessity of documentation even of these late modern coin-finds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archeologické Výzkumy v Jižních Čechách is the property of Jihoceskeho Muzeum v Ceskych Budejovicich and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archeologické Výzkumy v Jižních Čechách is the property of Jihoceskeho Muzeum v Ceskych Budejovicich and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In 2014 a flat cremation cemetery dating from the early phase of the Late Bronze Age was investigated near the village of Kukle near Tálín. A total of three definite, strongly damaged graves were registered. The discovery of fragments of an unspecified object made of gold sheet is very significant, because gold artefacts are rather rare in the Knovíz culture. The site is situated in a landscape with abundant deposits of gold, however, the origin of the material used for the manufacture of the gold piece of jewellery could not been ascertained. Not far from the cemetery, on the opposite bank of the brook, a similarly dated settlement was discovered through fieldwalking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution summarizes basic knowledge about the rescue excavation of a multi-period site on the eastern outskirts of the village of Staré Kestřany and its interpretation. Fieldwalking and subsequent open-area excavation resulted in the identification of small-sized settlement areas dating from the Mesolithic, Tumulus culture (Middle Bronze Age) and final Hallstatt period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]