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site only 10% of the discovered roofing materials were S-type tiles (Asaris, Lūsēns 2013, 168). Since the
publication does not give a precise description of the dating of layers uncovered during investigation and
the conditions of the find, it is complicated to judge about the dominating type of roof tiles in Kuldīga
Castle in the 17
th
century.
The sizes of S-type roof tiles in different findspots of Latvia are similar – 35 to 41 cm long and
23 to 23.5 cm wide, and their thickness does not exceed 2 cm (Caune 1982, 70). In the course of time the
shape of these tiles has not changed, only the length has been reduced a bit.
According to measurements of archaeologist J. Graudonis, S-type roof tiles of
Turaida
Castle are
37–41 cm long, 23–23.5 cm wide and 1.5–2 cm thick, but the weight of an article is 1.870–2.680 kg
(Graudonis 1996, 91). Judging by the small number of finds having been obtained only in the site of a
single building, in Turaida S-type roof tiles were used little (Fig. 28). Perhaps in the 17
th
century roofs
were changed only for some buildings since at that time only a part of premises were used in the castle for
the needs of the estate. Calculations made after Turaida finds show that for covering of one square metre
of the roof 18 S-type tiles were needed, which altogether weighed 34 to 48.5 kg (Graudonis 1996, 91).
Floor tiles
Flooring with small quadrangular ceramic plates or tiles inWestern Europe and in German countries
was introduced along with distribution of brick masonry in the 12
th
century (Forrer 1901, 61). Initially
clay tiles were used for flooring purposes in churches and monasteries, and later on also in castles. In
the hall of the chapter of priests in Marienburg (now Malbork, Poland), in the castle of the Teutonic
Order, floor tiles had been in use already at the beginning of the 14
th
century (Forrer 1901, 69). Medieval
floor tiles are square or multangular. The most luxurious tiles were decorated with a flatly and shallowly
impressed relief ornament and sometimes also with yellow or greenish-brown glaze, but still for the most
part non-glazed flooring material was used (Forrer 1901, 70).
Beginning with the 16
th
century, glazed floor tiles started dominating in secular Renaissance-style
buildings, and the green, yellow, maroon or brownish-black colour was brightened by a layer of white
engobe applied under it (Forrer 1901, 77). Coloured tiles were used to make ornaments on the floor,
multangular tiles were arranged around a smaller square ceramic tile. A floor covered with tiles was
not only practical and easily cleanable but also decorative. The colour of tile glaze or the reddish tint
of natural clay enlivened the interior in general resembling a variegated carpet and visually making the
room seemingly warmer. Floor tiles in castles were more applied in premises used by a larger number of
people – kitchens, halls, meeting rooms, chapels, whereas in living rooms ceramic tiles were applied as a
fireproof material only near the fireplace or a stove, but the rest of the floor was covered with a warmer
material – wooden planks.
It is unknown when floor tiles were started to be used in Latvian medieval castles. In written sources
these are mentioned seldom and only beginning with the 16
th
century. In the registry books of the Riga
Treasury purchase of tiles was noted in 1514/1515 and in 1556 (
utgeven vor flysen; flysen und gehouwen
stein
– Kämmerei-Register, 1902, 51, 154). In the second time both tiles and carved stones were purchased,