Mikulčice-Valy is an archaeological site and a museum with remains of a significant Slavic gord from the times of the Great Moravian Empire. The site is located in Mikulčice in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic, near the river Morava, which forms the Czech-Slovak boundary.
The Archaeopark is a branch of the Masaryk Museum in Hodonín and an archaeological research institute of Czech Academy of Science in Brno is also on the site. The Mikulčice-Valy site is being considered by UNESCO for designation as a World Heritage Site.
Description
The site of the Acropolis would have been a low-lying island in the Morava, which has now been canalised. The Acropolis was surrounded by a stone faced rampart, which would have been reached by a wooded bridge from the outer bailey. The ramparts of the Acropolis enclosed an area of about 6 hectares. There are further extramural settlements surrounding the site. Settlement started possibly in the 8th century AD and continued until the demise of the Great Moravia Empire into the early part 10th century.)The excavations started 1955 and have progressed, almost continuously, until the present time.
History of the excavations and research
The excavations commenced in 1954, when Josef Poulík discovered the 2nd church in the curve of the rampart close to the western entrance of the acropolis. The church was surrounded by a cemetery of about 200 graves, including three burials with swords (nos 90, 265 and 280) and rich grave goods in other burials including spurs, buttons and earrings and elaborately ornamented belt fitting. Excavations of the adjacent ramparts showed that they were built in two phases. To the East another stone building was found, originally thought to be a church, but this interpretation is not now accepted. In 2011 the new Exhibition Pavilion was opened which incorporates the foundations of Church 2.
The 3rd basilica church
In 1957 excavations moved to the 3rd or basilica church. This doubled aisled church with an eastern apse and western atrium and narthex, is by far the largest church to have been found at Mikulčice. It may have served as a cathedral. It was surrounded by a graveyard of about 550 burials, some of which were very rich and included five burials with swords (nos 341, 375, 425, 438, 500 and 580). 580 was a particularly rich burial, placed in the Nave of the church, and is likely to have been a member of the ruling elite. It contained a sword, an axe, a dagger with decorated hilt, a bucket, belt fittings and a golden button. The body had been placed in a coffin made from forged iron panels.
The palace building
In 1958 the excavations moved to the palace building, to the west of Church 3. The palace had been built of stone, but the stone had been removed and the rectangular outline was preserved by the robber trenches. The building was 26 m long and 10 m wide, with a hall with a fireplace, at the west end and a smaller chamber at the east end. Some rich burials were found in the area and there was extensive evidence of metalworking including goldsmithing. There was some evidence of settlement that pre-dated the Great Moravian Empire including a hoard of clay animal figurines. A number of iron styli for writing on wax tablet were discovered, suggesting that the building would have been used for administrative purposes.
The 4th and 11th churches
Also excavated in 1958 was the 4th church, which was almost rectangular with an apse. It was surrounded by about 100 burials. The graves were more poorly furnished, possibly reflecting Christianisation. In this cemetery there were more female burial than male. Close to this church was the largely destroyed 11th church, associated with a much richer cemetery. This included the burial (no. 821) of a six-year-old child with a cast bronze Avar horse head fitting, pottery vessels, a bucket and a bell.
The 5th church and timber hall
Excavation of the 5th church followed in 1959, together with a timber hall building with wattle and daub infill panels. The fifth church had a rectangular nave with an almost rectangular chancel. Adjacent to the church, which was next to a roadway leading to a gateway in the rampart, was a metalworking workshop producing high quality goods.