Ostravské muzeum

ROADS AND STREETS

Streets in medieval Ostrava were paved with cobbles taken from rivers. This created an uneven surface which quickly became clogged with various types of dirt. Besides these cobbles, walking surfaces were also created by laying wooden boards, planks or branches on the ground. Courtyard areas and minor streets were not paved at all, and people walked on packed earth (which turned to mud in wet weather) or on natural vegetation.

For example, the middle part of parcel no. 54 was used as a courtyard. The surface layer often consisted of mud and dung, and from the second half of the 14th century there were attempts to improve the surface by laying planks across timbers or paving it with cobblestones.

GETTING AROUND

When getting around – whether in the town’s streets or over longer distances – people either walked or used horses. Higher-cut shoes and boots were used for working and travelling. Footwear with straps was popular in the 13th century and part of the 14th century, while simple slip-on footwear was widespread throughout the medieval period. Both types were found at the Lauby site. Horses made life much easier for people. The presence and use of horses at Lauby is evidenced by horseshoes and harnesses, as well as by spurs that were used by riders.


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