Kernavė Archaeological Site (Cultural Reserve of Kernavė)

World Heritage Research

Discover scientific research and academic studies that deepen our understanding of Kernavė Archaeological Site (Cultural Reserve of Kernavė) from its history and significance to its conservation, management, and contemporary challenges.

• A Festival For Locals or For Tourists? The Ritual Year in Three Southeastern Lithuanian Settlements

  Newly created commercial holidays often fail to resonate with local populations unless they are deeply rooted in meaningful historical or cultural significance. This study analyzes the ritual year in three southeastern Lithuanian settlements—Trakai, Kernavė, and Medininkai—focusing on how locals perceive commercialized festivals. Through ethnographic fieldwork conducted between 2017 and 2019, researchers examined the duration, seasonality, and local appreciation of holidays, including St. John’s Day and State Day (marking the coronation of the first Lithuanian king). The findings reveal that even well-promoted commercial holidays, despite their cultural heritage mobilization and seasonal timing, may not gain local acceptance without strong ties to specific dates of historical or symbolic value.

  Šaknys, Ž. (2026). A Festival For Locals or For Tourists? The Ritual Year in Three Southeastern Lithuanian Settlements. The Ritual Year 14, 67–84. https://doi.org/10.7592/ry14.04

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• Styli in Vilnius

  A rare discovery of bone styli in the 16th-century cultural layers of Vilnius, Lithuania, challenges assumptions about their presence in medieval burial grounds. Unlike other cities in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, where styli are typically found in urban settings before burial sites, these artefacts were unearthed outside the original burial ground horizon, raising questions about their origin and association with the 'Civitas Rutenica'—a Ruthenian city mentioned in historical records. The study examines whether these styli could have been part of the earlier burial ground or linked to later cultural influences, providing new insights into the religious affiliation and material culture of medieval Lithuania.

  Jonaitis, R. (2024). Styli in Vilnius. Ukraina Lithuanica. Studìï Z Ìstorìï Velikogo Knâzìvstva Litovsʹkogo, 2024(VII), 65–84. https://doi.org/10.15407/ul2024.07.065

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• Christians in a Pagan Environment. Medieval Urban Cemeteries in Lithuania in the 13th and Early 15th Centuries

  Archaeological evidence from Kernavė and Vilnius reveals that Christian burial practices, including inhumation, emerged in Lithuania's pagan cities before the official baptism of 1387. This challenges assumptions about the direct link between Christianity and the abandonment of cremation traditions. The study suggests that urban environments may have been key to the adoption of new funerary customs, raising questions about the identity of those buried according to Christian rites under pagan rule and the factors driving this transition.

  Jonatis, R. (2024). Christians in a Pagan Environment. Medieval Urban Cemeteries in Lithuania in the 13th and Early 15th Centuries. From Paganism to Christianity Burial Rites during the Transition Period, 17–29. https://doi.org/10.33918/978609831447203

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• Poultry in Medieval and Post-medieval Lithuania

  Historical data reveals that poultry was a staple protein source for the elite in medieval and post-medieval Lithuania, though its role among the broader population remains less documented. This study sheds light on the scale of poultry consumption—including domesticated birds like chickens, ducks, geese, and wild species such as turkeys and guineafowl—and their significance in dietary hierarchies. By analyzing zooarchaeological and historical records from nine Lithuanian cities spanning the 13th to 20th centuries, researchers uncover insights into poultry supply chains, producer-consumer relationships, and the cultural status of poultry as a high-value food. The findings challenge assumptions about poultry’s exclusivity among elites while providing a rare glimpse into peasant diets through material evidence.

  Zagurskytė, A. (2024). Poultry in Medieval and Post-medieval Lithuania. Lietuvos Archeologija, 209–235. https://doi.org/10.33918/25386514-050008

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• The Belarusian-Lithuanian borderlands of the 10–13th centuries: from Krevа to Kernavė

  New archaeological and historical research reveals that the Belarusian-Lithuanian borderlands of the 10–13th centuries, particularly centers like Kreva, Halsany, Kernavė (Kernave), and Vilnius, played a pivotal role in the emergence of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Contrary to traditional perceptions, these regions exhibited advanced state formation processes during a period when East Slavic Europe faced deep crises. The study highlights significant Slavic influence on Baltic pagan settlements, fostering administrative and sacred urban functions. Kreva and Kernavė emerged as regional centers, with Kreva later becoming a domain of notable Lithuanian dukes like Alhierd (Olgierd) and Jagiello, while Kernavė served as the main residence of Duke Trojdzien. These findings suggest that ethno-cultural interaction between Slavic and Lithuanian elites drove political and economic development, laying the groundwork for the Grand Duchy's formation.

  Dziarnovich, A. I. (2020). The Belarusian-Lithuanian borderlands of the 10–13th centuries: from Krevа to Kernavė. Doklady of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 64(5), 632–640. https://doi.org/10.29235/1561-8323-2020-64-5-632-640

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• Landscape Transformations in the Historical Capitals of Lithuania during the 13th-14th Centuries

  Research challenges long-standing assumptions about the origins of the Peninsula Castle in New Trakai, revealing it was not artificially constructed but rather a transformed glacial hill. This finding contrasts with previous scholarly beliefs and sheds new light on landscape transformations during the 13th-14th centuries in Lithuania's historical capitals—Kernavė, Trakai, and Vilnius. The study, conducted between 2018-2019, employed advanced techniques such as LiDAR data analysis, geophysical surveys, minimal-destructive archaeological investigations, and pedological methods to reconstruct the paleorelief of these landscapes. In Kernavė, extensive landscape modifications were identified, including the creation of two hillforts separated by a defensive moat, while Trakai's brick castle was strategically built on a site that required minimal transformation. These insights highlight the Gediminid dynasty's ambitious approach to shaping power centers within Lithuania's nascent state.

  Kuncevičius, A., Merkytė, I., Poškienė, J., Prapiestienė, R., Vengalis, R., Vėlius, G., & Volungevičius, J. (2019). Landscape Transformations in the Historical Capitals of Lithuania during the 13th-14th Centuries. Acta Archaeologica, 90(2), 181–201. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0390.2019.12219.x

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• Functional Evolution of the Kernavė Hillforts in the Iron Age: New Intepretations of Old Data

  A reassessment of archaeological data from the Kernavė hillforts reveals a more complex functional evolution than previously understood, with significant changes in their use over time. The study challenges the term 'hillfort' for these sites and questions their contemporaneity within complexes. By reclassifying pottery sherds as primary, secondary, or refuse, researchers identified distinct phases of settlement, short-term activities, and long-term habitation, providing new insights into Iron Age occupation patterns in Lithuania.

  Vengalis, R., & Vėlius, G. (2019). Functional Evolution of the Kernavė Hillforts in the Iron Age: New Intepretations of Old Data. Archaeologia Lituana, 20, 75–115. https://doi.org/10.15388/archlit.2019.20.4

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