Archeopark Praveku Vsestary (CZ)

Already for an extended time, the University of Hradec Králové is active in education and research in experimental archaeology. There, the first higher education for experimental archaeology in the Czech Republic is taught. They play an active role in the Czech Republic and have for example organised a series of Neolithic logboat experiments at the Mediterranean under the name ‘Monoxylon’. They are also publishing the journal “Ziva Archeologie” and were the founders of EuroREA, the journal of EXARC.

Všestary is a small city in the North Eastern part of the country which forms the perfect spot for an open air laboratory for the university students. The Osada was started with grants of the Ministry of Education and the local government of the Hradec Králové Region by Radomír Tichý, his friends and students as experimental field laboratory for students of University of Hradec Králové.

The association “Společnost Experimentální Archeologie” is now running the Osada, the settlement. Particular architectural structures have their analogies in concrete archaeological situations. They were chosen to represent features typical for the region of Eastern Bohemia. Long term projects are being handled on pottery technology, formative processes of settlement features, polished stone industry, and functional analysis of axes. They are also organising workshops, open days and educational programmes. At present the site is getting better suited and more attractive for tourist visitors. The Osada Všestary is a centre of experimental archaeology, education, presentation of archaeology & archaeological experiment.

Although the association’s main interest is research, Osada Všestary is open to students and the public during special events organised throughout the year. Demonstrations of ancient handcrafts and experimental archaeology workshops are held in the atmospheric setting of a small reconstructed village surrounded by a defensive palisade.