Romanesque Prague Monuments – Dimension Stone and Its Cutting

Prague's Romanesque monuments, predominantly built with the local stone 'opoka,' exhibit unique stone-cutting techniques that distinguish them from European counterparts. A systematic study reveals that Prague stonemasons favored rock face cutting, gradually shaping blocks from corners to center without decorative patterns, unlike Western Europe's use of innovative tooth tools. This research, employing 3D modeling and mechanoscopy, reconstructs the tools used by analyzing surface traces and hit dynamics, uncovering the evolution of stonework from simple block modeling in the 9th century to sophisticated cutting by the 12th century. The study also highlights the influence of European craftsmen on Prague's stone-cutting traditions.

Cihla, M., Kovarova, K., Malat, R., & Valach, J. (2022). Romanesque Prague Monuments – Dimension Stone and Its Cutting. SPACE International Journal of Conference Proceedings, 2(1), 37–45. https://doi.org/10.51596/sijocp.v2i1.39