World's oldest dendrochronologically dated archaeological wood construction by Michal Rybní?ek, et.al., Journal of Archaeological Science Vol 115, Mar 2020
[Abstract] In 2018, during the construction of a motorway in the East Bohemian Region near the town of Ostrov (Czech Republic), archaeologists excavated a struct ure of a wooden water well lining with a square base area of 80 × 80 c m and 140 cm in height. Due to the excellent conservation of the oak timber s, studies of technological details and precise tree-ring dating were possi ble. The used trees were felled in the years 5256/55 BC, which makes this w ell the oldest dendrochronologically dated archaeological wooden constructi on worldwide. It is the third well from the Early Neolithic period that has been discovered in the Czech Republic within the last four years. The desi gn consists of grooved corner posts with inserted planks. This type of cons truction reveals advanced technical know-how and, till now, is the only kno wn type from this region and time period. Thanks to the combination of annu ally resolved and absolutely dated tree-ring widths (TRWs), the Czech oak T RW chronology has been significantly extended back to 5481 BC. Wood anatomi cal identification of fragments from the well filling show mainly oak (Quer cus spp.) and hazel (Corylus spp.), indicating a local forest composition d ominated by these taxa. The shape of the individual structural elements and tool marks preserved on their surface confirm sophisticated carpentry skil ls. Based on these observations, we established a model for the ?ch aîne opératoire? from forest utilization to the final art efact at the beginning of the Early Neolithic period.------------ Ostrov (Karlovy Vary District)
Ostrov, also known as Ostrov nad Oh?í (German: Schlackenwerth), i s a town in the Karlovy Vary Region, Czech Rep. It is located at a foothill of the Ore Mountains about 10 km (6 mi) NE of Karlovy Vary & has populatio n of around 17,000.
The origin of the settlement named Zlaukowerde (Slávek's Island) at th e confluence of the Byst?ice River & Jáchymov Creeks traces back to the beginning of the 13th c. The town charter for Ostrov was issued by B ohemian king John the Blind in 1331.
During WWII the castle served as a Nazi concentration camp. The population of Ostrov multiplied after WWII as people were moved to work in the uranium mines in nearby Jáchymov. The extensive housing blocks from the 50s f orming the new part of Ostrov are considered one of the best examples of so cialist realism architecture in the Czech Rep. The town was known for produ ction of ?koda trolleybuses for many decades, but this ended in 2004.