Kolozsvári kora újkori kutak
Early Modern Wells in Kolozsvár

Summary/Abstract: In early modern Kolozsvár, the drinking water supply was primarily ensured through a complex system of public, institutional, and private wells, the study of which requires a multidisciplinary approach connecting archaeology and writing historical sources. Historical accounts mention public wells in several place of the city. Essential institutions, such as the city school and the bathhouse, maintained their own wells under city administration. The city’s bakeries were particularly dependent on water; while some had private wells, others shared public ones and contributed to their maintenance. Private wells were indicators of social status, generally found in estates valued above 300 florins. Inheritance records frequently specified that heirs must share the use and upkeep of the yard’s well, including its accessories like iron buckets and chains. Archaeologists have uncovered various structures, including a well-preserved stone-lined in the city. Our sources made distinguish between three main types: simple log wells (bodonkút), pulley wells (csigás kút), and sweep wells (gémes kút).

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