The Plužina. Historical field systems of the Czech Republic

The Faculty of Environmental Sciences of the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague and the Faculty of Science of the University of South Bohemia have published the book Plužiny. Historical field systems of the Czech Republic. It is a critical catalog for the exhibition of the same name. The Czech and English language versions of the book summarise the results of a five-year project by a team of landscape ecologists, archaeologists, and historical geographers on the topic of historical field systems (Plužinas) in an accessible way for the general public. The preserved remnants of historical agricultural landscapes are valuable historical artefacts and cultural heritage, and at the same time, they provide valuable natural habitats of high aesthetic value. Relics of medieval Plužinas provide evidence of historical settlements and farming. They are a tangible illustration of the medieval organization of agricultural lands in connection with settlements, and they form the basis from which present-day land tenure systems are derived. In a relatively unchanged form, they have survived several centuries under the influence of various political and economic systems and can be described as one of the most picturesque landscapes in Central Europe. They are a cultural-historical heritage that was created in response to traditional ways of land management.

 The book is available in PDF version on the websites of both university departments. The printed version will be available at the end of October 2022.

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