News

New Virtual Exhibition on Our Website!

We are excited to announce a new virtual exhibition on our website, where you can explore the fascinating story of a previously unknown cemetery discovered in 2021 near Kernavė, by Lake Spėra.

The discovery began when an anonymous individual brought a box containing archaeological artifacts—jewelry, clothing items, and weapons—to the Archaeology Department of Vilnius University. It was determined that these finds belonged to cremation graves, and the coordinates in the box led archaeologists to a forest near Lake Spėra, where they found cremated human remains and fragments of ancient pottery on the ground.

In 2023, extensive excavations revealed the secrets of this cemetery: over 200 metal artifacts, nearly 500 pottery fragments, and 5 kg of cremated human bones. It was discovered that not only people but also horses were buried here, and the site had been used for burials for more than a thousand years.

Among the finds were rare amulets, bronze ornaments, and women’s burial traditions were clearly revealed through the unique jewelry and spindle whorls found. Additionally, earlier pottery fragments dating back to the 2nd century BC – 2nd century AD were uncovered, indicating that the cemetery had been used even earlier.

We invite you to visit the virtual exhibition and delve deeper into the history of this mysterious cemetery - https://www.kernave.lt/burial-site-at-lake-spera/