"Apie rastą lobį, paslėptą žemėje ar kitoje vietoje", arba 1655-1661 m. Vilniuje paslėptų lobių ieškotojo pradžiamokslis

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: 1655-1661 m. Vilnius; Epidemija; Lietuvos Didžioji Kunigaikštystė (LDK; Grand Duchy of Lithuania; GDL); Lobis; Okupacija; Turto slėpimas; Vilniaus lobiai; Vilnius; 1655-1661 Vilnius; Epidemic; Occupation; The hiding of the assets; The treasure; Treasure; Treasures of Vilnius; Vilnius.

ENWhen there were no banks yet and no service system had yet been developed, people used to hide their wealth, especially money, in order to protect it, even in quiet times but concealment became very common during periods of various hardships (especially during wars but also during epidemics and various disturbances). Such a period existed in the history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania during 1654-1667 when there was a war with the state of Moscow and the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, was occupied several times by the Muscovites (1655-1660). In addition, at the same time a huge plague epidemic raged in the city (1657-1658). All these events caused a larger or smaller wave of fleeing people so that the conditions for concealing one's wealth were thoroughly created. It would be difficult now to say precisely how many of the inhabitants of Vilnius, overcome by panic, used to run to hide their accumulated wealth during each instance of danger. Obviously a large percentage sooner or later retrieved them without great difficulty but some of it has not been found to this day. Therefore an analysis has been made here concerning why, who, how, where, and how much wealth was concealed according to the data found in sources.Fear that an enemy, neighbour, criminal, or someone else had their heart set on the wealth one had acquired forced people to conceal it. In leaving the city due to one reason or another, not all of one's valuable possessions or even money and jewellery were taken since people were afraid that highwaymen or soldiers of their own or a foreign state might rob them. Therefore money, jewellery, tools, and even clothing, bedding, books, etc were concealed. The hiding places were diverse: traditionally people used to dig holes in the courtyard or basement, seal it into the basement walls, hide it in lofts, monasteries, and churches, even throw it in lakes, etc. Mostly those who had something to hide were the ones who used to hide things: i.e. physicians, traders, craftsmen, and otherwise wealthy city residents. Nevertheless it does seem sometimes from the description of some 'hoards' that the owner, if not entirely destitute, was at least having trouble making ends meet. The discovery of treasure was regulated at that time by Lithuanian Statute III but the government of the occupying Muscovites strove for a time to regulate these things so that justice would be upheld and to thus attract the inhabitants to their side. [From the publication]