Martin Mešša
Covering roofs with small, splinted wooden boards is archaic. Along with the most common covering – rye straw – shingles were known and used by old Slavs. Shingles were produced for own need, but in many villages they were also produced for sale. During the Middle Ages Hervartov village belonged to Bardejov town, and one of the village’s duties was to produce and supply shingles to the town. Quality, splinted shingles have been produced since then, and local masters used them to cover many buildings in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. All of this is work by hand; machines proved not worthwhile. Shingles dominated for many centuries in both the town and sacral architecture and it found its place not only in restored historical buildings but also in many contemporary buildings with mainly so-called organic architecture.