Biržų pilies ir senamiesčio archeologiniai rinkiniai : nuo seniausių laikų iki XIX a. pradžios : katalogas

LTKataloge pristatomi nuo 1928 m. kaupiami ir saugomi Biržų pilies ir senamiesčio archeologinių kolekcijų eksponatai, datuojami nuo neolito iki XIX a. Pateikiama trumpa prieškario archeologinės kolekcijos, XVI a. pab. - XVIII a. pr. Biržų pilies, mieste buvusių dvarviečių ir senamiesčio tyrimų apžvalga. [Anotacija knygoje]Reikšminiai žodžiai: Biržai; Pilis; Dvarvietė; Miestas; Archeologiniai tyrimai; Muziejus; Muziejaus fondai; Archeologiniai radiniai; Lithuania; Birzai; Castel; Estate; Town; Archeological escavations; Museums; Funds of museums; Archeological artefacts.

ENBiržai Castle was built in the end of 16th c. as the residence of Dukes Radziwiłł and as the border fort which defended Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Two castles were distinguished which belong to different periods: the first castle - Italian type (1589-1625) for attack and the second castle - Netherland type (1637-1640) for defense. The aforementioned castle was destroyed during the Great Northern War in 1704. The first efforts to study history of Biržai Castle was made by Konstantin Tyszkiewicz (1859) and Eustachij Tyszkiewicz (1869). The publications about second castle appeared in first half of 20th c. The beginning of the archaeological researches provided the ground for further publications about the first castle which appeared in the second half of 20th c. Valuable information was collected and announced from 1966 to 1986 by historians and archeologists which formulated the base for further researches. Archaeological site of 2740 m2 was investigated (Jonas Genys 1983-1989, Roma Songailaitė 1990-2015). More than 6300 artifacts were submitted to the Biržai Museum. These investigations provided a lot of valuable information about the first and the second castles: the mansion of the first castle was located and the size of the first castle was determined, the cellar of the first castle was found under the foundation of the present castle. Two places for keeping gun powder were examined in the South and East side. Moreover, the remains of the arsenal and the barrack were investigated. As the result, the arsenal was rebuilt in 2013. The earliest mound existed before the first masonry Castle. The mound is located in Birutės - Rotušės st. block (Rotušės st. 2, 2a, 4,6,8). The first mentioning of Biržai city is related with this mound. According to M. Balinskis, the Grand Duke of Lithuania and the King of Poland Jogaila visited the castle in 1415.The layer of clay and sand full of valuable findings had been found while the trench was dug in 1930 in the former Tyszkiewicz hospital garden's area. These tiles were found in the layer: flat square tile decorated with rosette, tile-coronet with image of supporter, fragment of tile with image of drummer (No. 236- 239,241). Biržai museum (J. Mikelėnas) examined the area of 40 m2 in 1930. During the excavation, a lot of sherds and tiles were found - flat tile with coat of arms of Sigismund Old (No. 233) and portrait tile with image of the Duchess Sibylle of Saxony (No. 235). The tiles, dated the end 15th c. - beginning 16th c., were affected by fire. A. Miškinis assumes that the manor was burned in 1579. The findings of the excavation led by Mikelėnas did not remain. The place of the second mound was located during the archaeological excavation in 1997 (R. Songailaitė) Kęstučio st. 10. The area of 150 m2 was examined. The basis for this excavation was the information collected from the elder people in the area about cellers which were filled in without any examination in order to form the ground for the newly constructed building. The fragments of the former manor such as walls, foundation, cellar vault were found. The square building contains 2 rooms. Moreover, vessel and flat type, glazed and not glazed fragments of tiles, two Kristina Augusta shillings, rectangular shape bottles with lids, glasses and Venice glass chandelier fragments were found and examined. Total number of findings - 229. The place of the third mound was located during the archaeological excavations in 1991 Rotušės st. 18 (Rotušės st. 13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22). The area of 310 m2 was examined. Two walls (length 28 m, width 1,2 m) and 7 rooms of different size were found.Furthermore, flat armorial tiles with monogram of Boguslav Radziwiłł, and initials of Ludvika Karolina Radziwiłł dated 1682, and black glazed tiles fragments with coat of arms of Radziwil family dated 1690. Total number of findings - 908. The territory of Biržai old town is located between the articifial lake Širvėna, the Apaščia and the Agluona rivers (242,6 ha). In addition to this, the area on the left bank of the Algluona river, the right bank of the Apaščia river and Astravo (Baltoji) islands. The earliest artifcats belong to the end of 14th c. - the first half of 16th c. and were found in the territory of Biržai castle (Rotušės st., Birutės st., Ligoninės st.) where 16th c. Biržai manor was located. Clay pots and their fragments, glazed tiles and shards of their matrix, pipes and slivers of glass artifacts, which were found in Vytauto, J. Basanavičiaus, Reformatų streets, reveal the life of the Biržai citizens during the period of prosperity which followed the period of wars and fires in 17th c. [From the publication]

• Archeologija / Archaeology
• Istorija / History