Bernardinų vienuolyno refektoriumas ir Šv. Jurgio Kankinio bažnyčios tvora

LT2017 m. detalieji tyrimai vykdyti Mažesniųjų brolių ordino Kauno Šv. Jurgio konvento, vienuolyno ansamblio refektoriume ir Šv. Jurgio Kankinio bažnyčios šventoriaus tvoros vietoje. Tiriamos vietovės yra Kauno senamiesčio 3 kvartale, suformuotame seniausioje Kauno senamiesčio V dalyje, Nemuno ir Neries upių santakoje. Bernardinų Šv. Jurgio konvento pastatas stovi bažnyčios P pusėje. Vienuoliai bernardinai Kaune įsikūrė 1471 m. Manoma, kad tuomet pastatytas pirmasis mūrinis vienuolyno pastatas-dviaukštė zakristija. Pirmieji archeologiniai tyrimai vyko 1990 m. Šv. Jurgio bažnyčios šventoriuje (ATL 1990 ir 1991 metais, 1992, t. II, p. 7–9; LIIR, f. 1, b. 1891). Vėliau (1993–1997, 2009–2010, 2014, 2016 m.) jie atlikti įvairiose šio sakralinio ansamblio vidaus ir išorės prieigose (ATL 1994 ir 1995 metais, 1996, p. 213–217; LIIR, f. 1, b. 2529; ATL 1996 ir 1997 metais, 1998, p. 355– 357; LIIR, f. 1, b. 3000; ATL 2009 metais, 2010, p. 289–292; ATL 2010 metais, 2011, p. 271–274;ATL 2016 metais, 2017, p. 213–217), tačiau refektoriumas iki šiol netyrinėtas. 2017 m. tyrimuose dalyvavo MINK, padėjęs surinkti metalinius radinius. [...] [p. 247-248].

EN100 m2 were investigated in the refectory of the Bernardine monastery in Kaunas old town by excavating the entire room down to the planned depth of 50 cm from the existing surface. A fill layer up to 40 cm thick of gravel, sand, and small rubble was discovered on the surface of the entire room’s floor and below that, down to a depth of 50 cm, a fill layer of small river gravel. At a depth of 5-10 cm inside the refectory, the disorderly remains of flooring laid using bricks, brick fragments, and several square and hexagonal tiles, which should be dated to the 18th century, were discovered in an area of about 8 m2 . In the NE corner of the room a hypocaust style, 3.63 x 2.33 m furnace had been built out of brick. The foundations of seven arch pilasters made of bricks and small fieldstones were unearthed near the room’s N and S walls. After taking up the remains of the 18th century floor, the hexagonal column of the original arch, which dates to the turn of the 16th century, was found in the centre of the refectory. The hexagonal column will be displayed under a sheet of glass in the refectory floor. The remains of the hypocaust furnace will be covered by a new floor but its contours will be marked on the floor’s surface.During the investigation, one trench (52 m2 ) was excavated near the N fence of the churchyard of the church of St. George the Martyr. After demolishing the W wall down to the adjacent ground’s surface, it was determined that it had been erected on a concrete foundation no earlier than the first half of the 20th century. Undisturbed cultural layers survived in the trench in a roughly 2 m2 area but the original ground’s surface was not discovered anywhere in the trench. The surviving cultural layers consisted of 19th-20th century fill layers and the fill from 20th century utility line ditches. The monastery’s N fence could have been erected no earlier than the 17th century and its E part was reerected from the level of the foundation in the first half of the 20th century. Finds were discovered in the layer of rubble in the trench. These consisted of 17th century panel stove tiles (Blattkacheln), household pottery, shards of glass articles, gauged bricks, roof tile fragments, and pieces of ceramic pipe. Seven 17th-20th century copper coins, a copper ring, a button, and a lead bullet were also found.