Cat lovers rejoice: Moscow archaeologists discover 17th century tiles depicting a cat with a crown

Moscow archaeologists have unearthed 17th-century red clay stove tiles depicting a cat with a crown on its head during excavations. The discovery was reported on the website of the Mayor and Government of Moscow.

The head of the Department of Cultural Heritage of Moscow, Alexey Emelyanov, provided these details. "These finds have allowed specialists to better understand the features of everyday life of Muscovites in the 17th century," he said. He added that it is remarkable that these tiles were discovered on two streets in central Moscow.

The tiles, approximately 400 years old, were found at two locations: one on Tverskaya Street and the other on the territory of the Chizhevsky Courtyard on Nikolskaya Street.

Tiles were popular among the townspeople. Starting from the 16th century, similar tiles were used for cladding the front wall of stoves, helping to retain heat in cold weather and serving as decoration for the home hearth. Each stove tile in Russia had its own separate drawing, which was enclosed in a relief frame, and often depicted battle scenes, mythological plots, and plant ornaments.

According to the website Life.ru, it has become clear that even four centuries ago, Muscovites willingly expressed their love for these pets in visual art. Specialists collected an extensive collection of stove tiles, among which was the "cat in a crown." The themes of the images on the tiles varied—from battle scenes to mythological plots and simply floral ornaments.

Both "cat" tiles have already been restored and are now being prepared for transfer. On average, specialists usually spend from 1.5 weeks to several months on the restoration of such artifacts, depending on the condition of the artifact or its fragments.

The earliest ancient Russian tiles date back to the 10th century. Throughout the centuries, tiles have played a significant role in Russian architecture and interior decoration, serving both functional and aesthetic purposes.

In September, during excavations in Moscow, ceramic figurines were found: a hen, a horse, a little man, and a "fragment of a toy—a head of a little man in a cap with round, as if from surprise, eyes," Alexey Emelyanov reported. The finds were made during archaeological work in Kaloshin Lane at a depth of 2.5 to 4 meters. The oldest find from the Kaloshin Lane excavation is dated to the 16th century.

"This was a funny toy; it has not lost its charm even now," said Emelyanov. He added, "By studying ancient toys, we realize how close and understandable to us were the residents of Moscow of those distant centuries." He also noted, "Parents also chose for their children dolls and animal figurines, and they happily played with them."

Sources: RBC, Gazeta.ru, Izvestia

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq