Archeologists working in New Jerusalem near Moscow have found tens of thousands of ornamented tiles (izrazets) that decorated walls of monastery buildings and stoves of the 17th century and even the furnace, where the tiles were baked.
Experts believe that somewhere in the district there must be some other similar furnaces for baking of tiles.
Recently archeologists have found 40 thousand tiles decorating walls of the Resurrection Cathedral and other buildings of the monastery. Now the monastery has become the owner of the largest collection of tiles in the world.
The furnace, which has remained intact and can be used even now, will be cautiously taken out of clay and placed in the museum, along with it and a few thousand colourful tiles. Some of the ornaments are totally new for archeologists.
Author: Vera Ivanova