Archaeology of the St. Nicholas Church in demolished village of Libkovice (Liquitz) – excavations in 1995–1996 (North Bohemian Brown Coal Mining Area) : a contribution to the research of medieval village churches in Bohemia

Exploratory and rescue archaeological research in the village of Libkovice (distr. of Most) in 1991–1999, which was demolished due to planned coal mining, also focused on the parish church of St. Nicholas built there in the 1890s. Excavations have revealed well preserved masonry of the original Early-Gothic church from the 13th century and remains of an earlier structure, which can indicate a timber sacral building. Establishment of the earliest sacral building with an annexed graveyard in the nucleation core of the settlement represented an important phase of the stabilised village formation. Archaeology thus has brought direct material evidence of the process of the establishment of village parishes and graveyards. On-going research in Libkovice provides further extensive information, making it possible to verify results of the field research in the 1990s and broaden the potential of the site as an important reference sample for the wider programme focused on inhabited historical villages in Bohemia but also in wider European context.