Archaeological research in Příšovice will continue

Příšovice (Liberec Region) - Conservators have asked the Ministry of Culture for funding to continue archaeological research in Příšovice in the Liberec Region. Although researchers discovered a burial site from the Late Bronze Age, dating back to approximately the 10th to 9th century BC, they were unable to prevent the construction of family homes. The find is considered a unique discovery across the entire country, as stated today by Alois Čvančara, director of the North Bohemian Museum in Liberec, to ČTK.
"The costs for the research being conducted by the Liberec museum will exceed at least one million crowns this year," added Antonín Schäfer, the deputy governor responsible for culture. According to him, the conservators will purchase one parcel for about 620,000 crowns, the only owner willing to relinquish the land. Others wanted up to five times the usual price for it.
Archaeologists will excavate graves on the endangered parcels. On the one they acquire, they will not conduct further research. According to the Malta Convention, they must preserve the site so that it remains for future generations, who will have better technology and will be able to learn much more about the discovery than today's civilization.
The ministry will also take further steps to have the site declared a cultural monument as quickly as possible. "This is also related to seeking additional financial options for continuing the exploration," said Ludmila Kadrnková from the ministry’s external relations department to ČTK.
According to Čvančara, this year's research cost 300,000 crowns, with 100,000 contributed by the region and two-thirds by the conservators. Currently, archaeologists want to start searching on the other side of the road. The area, which they also consider valuable, must be examined before planned construction begins. At the historical burial site, they will reconstruct at least one grave along with replicas of clay burial vessels. "The nearest similar accessible burial site is in Poland and Slovakia. It is a pity that the land cannot be expropriated as in the case of highway construction," emphasized archaeologist Petr Brestovanský.
The burial site spans an area of 3,000 to 5,000 square meters. The cremation graves are spaced 150 to 200 centimeters apart, lying at depths of 35 to 90 centimeters below the surface. So far, archaeologists have excavated 58 graves containing more than 500 vessels, which, besides bone remains, include richly decorated miniatures, so-called shamanic rattles, or solar disks. The site was initially not to be explored at all. It was only when excavators arrived at the future construction site to carry out the excavation for the road that the first grave was found at a depth of 35 centimeters, followed shortly by several others.