Cahle decorate cu scena „Sf. Gheorghe omorând balaurul” descoperite în București
Bucharest Medieval Tiles Bearing “Saint George Killing The Dragon” Scene Decoration

Summary/Abstract: Recent archeological researches in Bucharest historical area (2004, 2007) focused on Calea Victoriei street — the medieval assemblage „Văcărescu buildings”, as well as on Lipscani street — 18– 20, Greci Inn, and 12, Zlătari Inn revealed an important set of XVth–XVIIth century medieval tiles. Multiple aedile interventions in the already mentioned areas left no opportunity for the discovery of an in situ heating installation. Nevertheless, based on the discovered tiles, one can assume the existence of comfortable, XVth century households using tile stoves. Among the tiles discovered, we selected the ones bearing decoration inspired by the Saint George killing the dragon legend. The harmonious composition and the accurate depiction of proportions and movement highlight two of the XVIth century tiles, resulting from specialized workshops: one from the medieval assemblage “Văcărescu buildings”, and another from Greci Inn area. Previous researches in Radu Vodă Monastery area (1953) offered two other such tiles. Unlike the tiles discovered in Transylvania and Moldavia, those from Bucharest, except one, do not include secondary characters in the decoration legend scenes, thus strengthening the symbolical part of the theme — struggling for faith, through giving up the narrative part. Since the Middle Ages, Saint George is the patron saint of several Bucharest churches, but also of several inns and of the town’s central marketplace.

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