Showing Conviction and Support for the Reformation? A 16th-Century Stove Tile from Turku Bearing the Electoral Coat of Arms of saxony/Osutades Toetust Reformatsioonile? Uhest Turust Leitud 16. Sajandi Saksi Kuurvursti Vapiga Ahjukahlist

Abstract

Germanic origin of stoves and their use as signs of power, wealth and convictions Medieval and early modern tile stoves were tall heating appliances, which consisted of vessel-, niche- or panel-shaped ceramic tiles. Although their history is said to have begun during the first millennium AD in the Alpine regions of the present-day Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the oldest indisputable stove-tile finds have been dated to the 12th century. The early stove tiles resembled plain ceramic vessels and it is difficult to distinguish them from each other (Roth Heege 2012, 30 ff.). In Finland the earliest stove tiles have been dated to the early 15th century. They are vessel tiles and they were discovered in Turku (Majantie 2010, 166 f.). The history of tile stoves can be studied, in addition to archaeological sources, by using written documents, drawings and in some cases intact stoves. The written documents regarding tile stoves are, however, scarce and drawings and intact stoves have survived mainly in the German-speaking areas (e.g. Franz 1969, 44, 56 f., 124; Strauss 1968, 22 ff.; Unger 1988, 11, 22). Tile stoves spread from the 13th century onwards to wide areas in northern, western and eastern Europe. Their diffusion was aided by the travels and movements of Hanseatic merchants, German craftsmen and the nobility and clergy. Although their main raw material was clay, which itself was common and inexpensive, their structure made them luxuries that not everyone could obtain. The early tile stoves were built mainly in castles, manors and monasteries, and as the urban burghers became wealthier tile stoves also spread to their dwellings in the towns (Gaimster 2014, 61-64, 69-72). In most cases they were heated through an opening in the wall via another room and the fumes that were released during their use were led out via flues and chimneys (e.g. Franz 1969, 14). Some tile stoves had, however, a firebox opening in the front and were not completely smokeless (Stephan 1991, 30). The popularity of tile stoves was probably a combined result of their smokeless use, their effective ability to emit and retain heat and their decorative appearances. A written document from the 1640s describes tile stoves in the following way: A Cackle Oven /... / are here Made of Cackles /.../, certayne hollow earthen tiles soe called, off greene, blew, ett[s]. coullours, with various worcks, built in Forme off a turrett: a pretty little structure, much adorning the roome; in heightt and bignesse, according to the roomes wherin they stand. From withoutt they make Fire into it. It Casteth a heatt to the Farthest part of the roome, which must bee kept very close. Noisome att First to those thatt are nott accustomed, and I thincke unwholsome att last, though commodious and proffitable otherwise, For by thatt Meanes a little woode will suffice to Make Fire to [111] warme a great Company, all perticipating alike, one Not hindering the other. Nott soe att our Chimney Fires. Those Cackle ovens are allsoe usuall in Most private Chambers off the house, to bee warmed as occasion shall require, and beeing once hotte, a small Matter keepes on and continues the heat (Mundy 1639-1647, 110). Stove tiles developed from simple pots to relief-decorated panels in the course of the 15th century, and instead of potter's wheels they were manufactured with moulds. Mould technology enabled stove tiles to be decorated with detailed images, which soon began to act as expressions of their owners' wealth, status and power. The images were copied from the mid-15th century onwards from contemporary woodcuts and engravings. The spread of images, aided by printing technology, the trade in moulds and the migration of potters facilitated a wide distribution of stove tiles with identical pictorial motifs (e.g. Franz 1969, 9-18, 24-45, 57, 72-73, 87, 110). In Finland, too, the archaeological and written evidence suggests that the early stove tiles were imported from the German lands or manufactured locally with imported moulds and by German potters; their shape and decoration were based entirely on German models until the 17th century (Majantie 2010, 271 ff. …