A Research of a Renaissance Malt House in Chanovice (Klatovy District)

Abstract

The article informs about a research of an early modern malt house in Chanovice chateau (Klatovy district). The malt house was analysed during renovation works in 1996–8. The multi-disciplinary research included a research of written sources, an architectural and historical survey, use of available iconographic sources, an archaeological research, an archaeobotanical analysis of a sample of found carbonised grains and an anthracology of the same sample. The archaeological research and the architectural and historical survey revealed a uniquely and completely preserved malt house originating in the 16th century and destroyed probably in the 19th century. The archaeobotanical analysis of a sample from the surface of a malting floor discovered the prevalence of partly sprouted caryopses of oat (Avena sp.) with an admixture of other field crops (barley, wheat, pea). The weed admixture was formed mainly by winter crops indicators which do not normally grow in oat. On the basis of these results the analysed sample can be interpreted as a residue of oat malt with an admixture of waste after barley and wheat-rye malt refining. The anthracology made it possible to reconstruct the range of firewood used for malt drying (oak prevailed) and the remains of the malt house equipment destroyed by a fire (charcoals of the kiln floor).

Keywords

• malt house
• early modern period
• archaeology
• architectural and historical survey
• archaeobotany
• anthracotomy