Acta rerum naturalium, 21: 59–72, 2017 ISSN 2336-7113 (Online), ISSN 1801-5972 (Print) 59 „Gold rush” or „considered investment”? Origins of mining towns in the medieval Central Europe „Zlatá horečka” nebo „promyšlená investice”? Vznik horních měst ve středověké Stření Evropě PAWEŁ CEMBRZYŃSKI Centre for History of Medieval and Modern Material Culture, Te Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Solidarności 105, PL-00-140 Warsaw; e-mail: pawelcembrzynski@op.pl Publikováno on-line 00. 00. 0000 Abstract: Te 13 th c. socio-economic change in Central Europe brought into existence a new kind of urban settlement: the mining town. Te aim of this article is to analyse the modes of development of these towns and to identify which factors were decisive in their emergence. Te study is based on analysing the factors of localization (environmental and socio-economic), urban layout and development patterns. I suggest that mining towns developed according to two models: the “gold rush” and “considered investment”. Te frst model assumes that the process of the emergence of towns was dynamic and hard to control. Mining was the main reason for the creation of towns. In the second model, the mining town was a part of a wider and centrally considered investment in land reorganization and colonization. In this case, mining was not the only reason to create a town. Here, I show that despite certain variability in the described features, these can still be perceived as prerequisites for distinguishing both modes of the emergence of towns Key words: urbanization, mining, landscape archaeology, urban layout, charter, colonization INTRODUCTION Mining towns were specifc urban centres with mineral resources extraction-based economy. In Central Europe this type of towns developed during the 13 th and 14 th c. During that time regions of Germany (especially eastern part), Poland, Bohemia, Moravia and Hungary witnessed a major social and economic change. In general, the change was ini- tiated by local rulers who wanted to rearrange a foundation for their territorial power and boost their fnancial profts. To this end they reconstructed old and created new settlement network. Te latter process, of so-called town-village coloni- zation, involved establishment of a number of new villages and towns with a novel to this part of Europe type of spatial and legal organization (Gawlas 1996). Settlers, who created the new towns, partially originated from the West. Tey introduced and adapted legal system, trading and farming techniques, crafs and, importantly, brought along a capital, on which they were able to build new lives and businesses (Małowist 2006). Te reason why more resources originating from mining towns, i.e. non-ferrous, precious metals, were in demand was the fast growing economy of Western Europe (Małowist 2006). Rich and freshly colonized areas of Central Europe attracted groups of miners, who encouraged by local kings and princes, started to look for new deposits. If they were lucky enough to fnd a rich one, they settled down in the vicinity of a mine. As a result of such a mutually benef- cial cooperation between authorities facilitating spatial and legal rearrangements and new, skilled settlers increasing mineral resources extraction output, mining towns came to existence in Central Europe. My aim here is to look into the general mode and dynamics of emergence of mining towns in Central Europe. Were they an efect of (i) a dynamic and uncontrolled development in chase for a proft as in the classical gold rush scenario, (ii) or rather a part of a process, planned and conducted by a ruler? Methods I assume that those questions can be answered by analys- ing town’s factors of localization and urban layout develop- ment. I will focus on environmental and socio-economic factors. In the frst group we have: relation to ore deposits, access to basic resources (like farming areas, woodlands, wa- ter sources) and topographic relief. Socio-economic factors encompass: communication network, presence of pre-char- tered infrastructure, military usefulness and position in settlement network. By studying these factors one can infer how and why a place for building a new town was chosen. Analysis of urban layout can provide additional information about town development, function and social structure. Here, I suggest that the development pattern, the role of other non-mining functions as well as the localization factors of a town (in relation to topography, natural resources and settlement network) can give us fairly good idea about the general mode and dynamics of emergence of mining towns. Hypothesis Previous research indicated that medieval mining towns were developing according to a certain pattern (Nováček 1994). First, groups of miners were penetrating a new ter- ritory, if they had found ore deposits they settled down in a kind of non-permanent camp. If the deposit turned out to be rich enough to sustain bigger mining enterprise, more settlers came along and built permanent settlement around the mines. Afer some time, more and more people (arti- sans, traders) arrived to the rich and growing settlement. When the mining settlement became large enough a local