Rus ceramic tiles from the Krylos hill at Galich in the State Hermitage
Ceramic tiles were widespread in Kievan Rus yet relief items have been encountered only in the Galich land. The majority of them have been found on the Krylos Hill, the fortified citadel of the city of Galich. Two types of relief tiles can be distinguished: items of the first type are smaller and thinner and bear a sketchy unframed design while those of the second type are bigger and thicker, bear a more elaborate design encircled by a frame and are true reliefs. Design patterns are similar yet the technique and quality of reliefs differ. The study enabled us to conclude that the tiles of the first type are characteristic of Rus architecture and date to the second half of the 12th century AD while those of the second type were brought from Little Poland probably by Dominican monks and date to the late 1230s-early 1240s.