Archeologiniai tyrinėjimai Joniškio mieste

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Archeologija; Archeologiniai tyrimai; Joniškis; Joniškis, Žiemgala, archeologiniai kasinėjimai; Kultūrinis sluoksnis; Lokalinė istorija; Radiniai; Archaeology. Joniškis; Archeaological investigation; Cultural stratum; Finds; Joniskis town, Semigallia, archaeological investigations; Locxal history.

ENThe archaeogical investigations carried out in Joniškis town in 1990-2000 were not systematic. The cultural status of the town was investigated in 1990 (archaeologist A. Merkevičius), in 1992 (archaeolo gist G. Stankevičius), in 1993-1995 (archaeologist A. Šapaitė) in 1996-2000 (archaeologist G. Aleliūnas). The historians disagree on whether Joniškis mentioned in the written sources in 1526 was in the place of Sidabre and moved to the present place only after the fire of 1594 or whether it was here since the very beginning of its establishment. The archaeologists that investigated Joniškis in many places fixed only the 19th-20th centuries strata. Much less finds were found from the 17th or 18th centuries, only individual splits are dated the 16th century. The remains of the 17th century building and a cellar of the 18th century were found in the yard of Upytė street house Nr. 3. A cultural stratum dated the 17th-18th centuries was found at the houses of Upytė 7, Livonia 5, Žagarė 6, Miesto square 17. An exceptional find was the treasure of the 19th century end-the 20th century beginning with Russia and Germany’s coins found in Miesto square 17 house. In 1995 while investigating the Old Town a man’s grave dated the 7th-the 8th centuries and assigned to the Semigallians was found. One more grave of similar period was found in 1996. Two graves and accidentally found a few bronze ornaments allow to state that the Middle Iron Age Semigallian burial- ground is in the centre of Joniškis town.The information was gathered not systematically but only excavating Joniškis town due to economical necessity. Archaeological investigations allow to accumulate much useful information about a cultural stratum, thus, let us hope that in the future the archaeogists will be able to answer finally the question if Joniškis was established in the present site only after 1594 or buildings were standing here already in the middle of the 16th century. [From the publication]

• Archeologija / Archaeology
• Istorija / History