With a great pleasure, our school continues to cooperate with Archaeologic Department of The West Bohemian University. The cooperation started 2019 and after a corona virus break we have returned back to laboratories of the department. There was a breath-taking and exciting lecture of PhDr. Josef Hložek named “Archaeology and the work of an archaeologist” which was prepared for our first year classes on 22nd September 2021.
There was more practical part of this lecture for our fist classes on 1st October. Our students set off to Litice to have first-hand experience with archaeological work led by PhDr. Hložek and on his students Eliska Chimalova.
Everything stared with the set of lectures in a very old St. Peter and Paul´s Church in Litice. We could enter and have the lecture there thanks to a kindliness of Koinonie of St. John the Baptist which takes care of the church and they opened the church only for us so early in the morning. Their representative welcomed us inside. Miss Chimalova was every enthusiastically talking about a recent research of a well in Sedlackova Street in Pilsen, where she took part personally and she could also provide a lot of fantastic pictures. Then Doctor Hložek was talking about history of Litice and the church and the castle there. Practical part followed. Students were able to try a very hard work of archaeologist which was documenting something.
Students were divided into smaller groups and equipped only with pencils, millimetre papers, meters and rulers they were drawing preserved roman stone pieces on the inner parts of perimeter walls of the church. It was not an easy and fast work but everybody is said to be able to learn to do it. You only need to be patient and need a bit of practicing. Some of the students were even complimented by Doctor Hložek.
The ruins of the castle were bathing in sun shine. Unfortunately they didn´t want to give away anything from their secrets, well, at least to us – amateurs. Though, the ruins were talking to us through an experienced archaeologist Dr. Hložek revealing some of their secrets. We were able to learn what can a ruin says to an archaeologist.
We would like to express our gratitude to all above mentioned for a great day and new knowledge gained during this non-traditional way of tuition.
Mgr. Martina Walterová, loose translation
