DOCSLIB.ORG

The Olsztyn Group and the Galindians

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Olsztyn Group and the Galindians Chapter 6 The Olsztyn Group and the Galindians One of the important problems raised by research on the Olsztyn Group is its participation in shaping the structures of the Prussian tribes in the early Middle Ages. The Olsztyn Group occupied the area, which most probably be- came the land of the Galindians, the least known of all Prussian tribes. For many years it has been the subject of archaeological and historical research, and it still appeals to the imagination of the people currently living in Masuria. According to a legend written down in the early 16th century by a Saxon chron- icler, Erasmus Stella (Johannes Stüler),1 the name of the Galindians derived from that of Galyndo, the eighth son of Wejdewut, the legendary king of the Prussians. Galyndo is said to have received from his father the lands between the upper Łyna River and the Great Masurian Lakes.2 This is therefore the area tentatively attributed to the Galindians. There are very few written sources concerning this tribe. The lack of infor- mation is probably linked to the early extermination of those people by neigh- bouring Poles, Yotvingians, and Scandinavians, long before the arrival of the Teutonic Knights. According to Peter of Duisburg, who wrote his Chronicle of the Land of Prussia in 1326, in the 13th century, the territories that had once be- longed to the Galindina were a terra desolata (deserted or depopulated land).3 The name of the Galindians appears for the first time in the 2nd century in Ptolemy’s Geography. According to Ptolemy, the Galindian people (Γαλίνδοι) lived to the east from the Gytones (Goths) at the mouth of the Vistula river, and to the west from the Soudinoi. Archaeologists have therefore identified the Galindians with the so-called Bogaczewo culture that flourished in what is now north-eastern Poland during the Roman period, between the 1st and the 4th centuries.4 That archaeological culture is linked with the West Balt cul- tural circle, which stretched at that time between the Pasłęka and the Daugava 1 Grzegorz Białuński, Studia z dziejów plemion pruskich i Jaćwieskich, Rozprawy i Materiały Ośrodka Badań Naukowych im. Wojciech Kętrzyńskiego w Olsztynie, 179 (Olsztyn, 1999), pp. 136–138. 2 Marcin Murinius, Kronika, VIII. 3 Peter of Duisburg, Chronicle of the Land of Prussia, edited by Klaus Scholz (Darmstadt, 1984); Wróblewski, Nowakiewicz, and Bogucki, “Terra desolata,” pp. 157–158. 4 Nowakowski, Od Galindai do Galinditae, pp. 18–19; Nowakowski, “Retrospekcja w archeologii: Galindai/Galinditae oraz Soudinoi/Sudavitae w świetle źródeł historycznych i znalezisk ar- cheologicznych,” Studia Galindzkie 1 (2003), 7–10. © koninklijke brill nv, leiden, 2019 | doi:10.1163/9789004381728_007 212 Chapter 6 rivers. Ancient (Tacitus, Cassiodorus, Jordanes) and medieval (Einhard, Wulfstan) authors called the West Balts Aesti. As for Galindians, they are men- tioned again in the 13th century. The first mention is in a papal financial record known as Liber censuum and referring Prussia in the aftermath of the crusade led in 1210 by the Danish king Valdemar II (1202–1241). Later, Pope Innocent IV mentioned the lands “que Galens dicitur” in his bull of May 19, 1253 for Duke Kazimierz of Kujawia (the son of Duke Konrad of Mazovia). A third source is a document of 1254 concerning the dispute between Duke Kazimierz and the Teutonic Knights, which mentions the Golens/Golenz Land. A king of the Galindians named Ysegups appears in the mid-14th century, with a power seat on Lake Niegocin.5 Peter of Duisburg, a member of the Order of St. Mary (Teutonic Knights), refers to those people as Galinditae. The accounts of the Teutonic Knights show the Galindians as particularly cruel among all Prussians. Peter of Duisburg and, following him, Martin Murinius, mention the mutilation of women and mass killing of little girls of their own tribe, as well as prominent war captives being burned alive on pyres together with their armor and horses. They are also said to have attacked the lands to the south, which were under the rule of the Piasts. According to the legend, one of such expeditions ended in the annihilation of the entire tribe. The legend is worth mentioning in this context, as it is one of the few sources that deal with the entire tribe. The Galindians gained so much importance and multiplied in such great numbers that their could not feed them all. Thus, like the Pharaoh, who, wishing to humiliate the people of Israel, told the midwives, “if you see that the baby is a boy is born, kill him, but if it is a girl, let her live,” [they] also deemed it a good idea to kill every new-born girl and to keep the boys alive for war. And when the women did not obey this regulation, because seeing the beauty of their new-born children, they had secretly hidden them, the men agreed to cut off all their wives’ breasts so that they could not feed any children. The women, angry about their contempt and the appalling decision, went to a woman who was considered in their country a saint and a seer, and who decreed rules for various issues in their coun- try. They asked her to look at their case and protect them. The woman, commiserating with them, summoned the powerful from the whole land and told them: “Our gods want everyone to set off without weapons and 5 Białuński, Studia, pp. 136–143; Paul Milliman, “The Slippery Memory of Men”. The Place of Pomerania in the Medieval Kingdom of Poland, East Central and Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages 450–1450, 21 (Leiden/Boston, 2013), pp. 47–52..
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 8-13 Belarus and Belarusians
    Belarus and its Neighbors: Historical Perceptions and Political Constructs BelarusBelarus andand itsits Neighbors:Neighbors: HistoricalHistorical PerceptionsPerceptions andand PoliticalPolitical ConstructsConstructs InternationalInternational ConferenceConference PapersPapers EDITED BY ALEŚ Ł AHVINIEC TACIANA Č ULICKAJA WARSAW 2013 Editors: Aleś Łahviniec, Taciana Čulickaja Project manager: Anna Grudzińska Papers of the conference “Belarus and its Neighbors: Historical Perceptions and Political Constructs”. The conference was held on 9–11 of December 2011 in Warsaw, Poland. The conference was sponsored by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Belarus Office, National Endowment for Democracy and Open Society Institute. Translation: Vieranika Mazurkievič Proof-reading: Nadzieja Šakun (Belarusian), Katie Morris (English), Adrianna Stansbury (English) Cover design: Małgorzata Butkiewicz Publication of this volume was made possible by National Endowment for Democracy. © Copyright by Uczelnia Łazarskiego, Warsaw 2013 Oficyna Wydawnicza Uczelni Łazarskiego 02-662 Warszawa ul. Świeradowska 43 tel. 22 54-35-450, 22 54-35-410 [email protected] www.lazarski.pl ISBN: 978-83-60694-49-7 OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATIONS Implementation of publishing: Dom Wydawniczy ELIPSA ul. Infl ancka 15/198, 00-189 Warszawa tel./fax 22 635 03 01, 22 635 17 85 e-mail: [email protected], www.elipsa.pl Contents Foreword ...................................................................................................... 7 Andrzej Sulima-Kamiński – Quo Vadis, Belarus? Instead of an
    [Show full text]
  • Proto Baltic & Baltic Languages
    PROTO-BALTIC >>>|||<<< An excerpt of text from Virdainas © Jos. Pashka 2012 * Warning - RWA xenophobes may find this content emotionally disturbing. > Link to Google Translate URL < "People lie. The evidence doesn't lie " - Grissom. The IE Satem poly-ethnic Middle Dnieper Culture ( R1a1a1, Z280 w/ multiple variants ) appeared well over five thousand years ago in forested regions by the Middle & Upper Dnieper river and it's tributaries - also including a wide area extending East towards the Don, along with an early Northeastern variant (LWb allele, R1a1a1, Z280 Northern variants & Z92, L235 ) which developed of related East Baltic speaking forest-zone Fatyanovo-Balanovo cultures that spread North and East, up to the Ural Mountains, together are seen as Northern extensions ( 3300 - 1800 BCE, Loze 1992, Tab.1 ) of the poly-ethnic Corded Ware ( R1a- M417, Z283 ) culture horizon (re: mtDNA N1a1). [ Note - the (DNA) citations are only partial / general indicators.] There were altogether really quite a few (R1a1a1, Z280 Northern variants ) Baltic Satem speaking cultures - the early West Baltic ( Pamariai / Bay Coast ) Barrow culture in the West - the growing Middle Dnieper in the middle / with a Dnieper-Desna variant - and the geographically immense East Baltic speaking Fatyanovo-Balanovo cultures, settled among (and eventually merging with, among others) neighboring Finno-Ugrics ( N1c1) and Narva substratum on territory in the North & East - up to the Ural mountains and Kama-Volga rivers. A later phase of the Catacomb ( MVK - Mnogovalikovo ) & Pit- grave ( Poltavka ) influenced border Fatyanovo-Balanovo was the Corded Ware Abashevo culture. To the South of these bordered complexes like Sosnica, that later became the Baltic-type Milograd & Bondarikha ( > Jukhnovo ) cultures.
    [Show full text]
  • Some Notes on the Issue of the Development of Balt
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Klaipeda University Open Journal Systems SOME NOTES ON THE ISSUE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF BALT SOCIETY IN THE NINTH TO THE 13TH CENTURIES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE SOCIO-POLITICAL STRUCTURES OF THE BALTIC REGION Some Notes on the Issue of Some Notes on the Issue of the Development Of Balt Society in the Ninth to 13th Centuries in the Context of the Socio-Political Structures of the Baltic Region MARIUS ŠČAVINSKAS MARIUS ŠČAVINSKAS Abstract The article discusses questions pertaining to the development of the socio-political structures of the West Balts. On the basis of archaeological studies and scarce historical sources, the conclusion is drawn that the first shoots of statehood might have emerged during the Viking era. It seems that the fortification of hill-forts, the emergence of castles, the increasing differentia- tion of material wealth, the emergence of proto-towns, and the formation of the stratum of warriors should allow us to talk of the emergence of chiefdoms in the land of the West Balts. However, all these attributes rather demonstrate the development of social structures. The question is put whether the social elite that stood out during the Viking era was at the same time the political elite. Thus, the main question is, what kind of chiefdoms can we talk about, and from when and how did the political elite emerge, which predetermined the emergence of a state in the lands of the East Balts, but which nevertheless did not lead the society of the West Balts to statehood? Key words: chiefdom, the institution of chieftain, tribes of the West Balts, structures of societies, social and political relations, the Viking era, the Baltic region.
    [Show full text]
  • The Cultivation of A
    © Idōkan Poland Association “IDO MOVEMENT FOR CULTURE. Journal of Martial Arts Anthropology”, Vol. 18, no. 4 (2018), pp. 11–24 DOI: 10.14589/ido.18.4.3 HISTORY & ANTHROPOLOGY Wojciech J. Cynarski University of Rzeszow, Rzeszow (Poland) e-mail: [email protected] Heritage of Proto-Aryan ancestors and noble warriors in Central Europe Submission: 16.06.2018; acceptance: 15.08.2018 Key words: Arains, Aryas, Scyths, Lechia, Sarmatism, Aryo-Slavic languages Abstract Problem. The problem of the origins of the Poles and other peoples of Central and Eastern Europe has lead to great scientific and social interest given the genetic discoveries of recent years, which have shown these issues in a new light. These problems are being simulta- neously considered by archaeologists and historians, linguists and ethnologists, and anthropologists and interdisciplinary researchers. Method. The comparative and deductive methods were used, along with an analysis of the broader discourse (both scientific and popular), from the perspective of the sociology of science; hence source texts and mass culture-related texts are listed among the sources. Results. The term “Aryo-Slavic languages” seems more appropriate than “Indo-European”, especially for peoples with the advantage of hg R1a Y-DNA. The similarity of the chronicles and their symbolism is another factor that testifies to their cultural closeness and its accompanying biological (genetic) proximity. There is a series of questions and hypothesis. Conclusions. The affinity of languages, the Polish noble coats of arms and Sarmatian signs, and anthropometric data of Aryans and Poles, especially genetics (Y-DNA, mt DNA) indicate that the holders of hg R1a1 (and derivatives) described in the paper origi- nate from the same trunk.
    [Show full text]
  • Lithuanian Flagship
    LNS JOTVINGIS (N42) (Lithuanian Navy) SNMCMG1 Flagship Commissioned (for the Lithuanian Navy): 2006; Vidar class minelayer; Built in 1977 in Bergen, Norway as a minelayer and was named N52 “Vidar”. Dimensions: Length – 64.8 meters; Width – 12.0 meters; Draught – 4.6 meters; Tonnage –1.750 tons; Armament: Two “Bofors” type 40 mm artillery guns; MG3 machine guns; Radio-electronic combat devices; The crew is armed with G36C automatic rifles and pistols of GLOCK type; Crew: Up to 50 persons; The ship can accommodate up to 20 Staff personnel; Propulsion: Two 2100 HP engines of WICHMANN type (in total, 4 200 HP). Maximum speed – 15 knots; Mission: To serve as a platform for the Staff during exercises and missions and to provide an all-purpose logistic support not only to the MCM ships but also to the entire Naval Flotilla. Ship’s name: Lithuanian Navy ship (LNS) “Jotvingis” (Yotvingian) (N42) was named after the Baltic tribe of Yotvingians. This symbolizes historical roots of Lithuanian nation and the state. The Yotvingians lived in Yotvingia, which was situated in the current territories of Southern Lithuania, Eastern Poland and Western Byelorussia. The Yotvingians were agriculturists’ and warriors’ tribe. It is said that Yotvingians did not avoid challenges. They were strong warriors and excellent military strategists. Ship’s history: This ship was built as a minelayer in 1977 in the shipyard of “Mjellem and Karlsen” in Bergen, Norway and was named N52 “Vidar”. After refit in 2000 the ship became a staff and support ship. In 2006 she was transferred to the Lithuanian Navy.
    [Show full text]
  • The Lithuanian Armed Forces: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
    THE LITHUANIAN ARMED FORCES: YESTERDAY, TODAY, TOMORROW Jonas Andriškevičius From archeological excavations as well as from the most ancient texts, we know that the Aesti (the Balts – author’s note), including the Lithuanians, were no strangers to armed struggle. Weapons and even war horses could be found in the Bronze Age burial tombs. Yet even before the authors of written histories reached these territories, it was covered with defense mounds. This proves the existence of a concentrated and organized effort to defend these territories which were small and fragmented, as at that time Lithuanians did not have a centrally-controlled state. When an enemy attacked a territory, all men capable of carrying weapons joined the fi ght. The smartest and the brav- est ones naturally became recognized commanders. Defense was easier in the large forested areas and the prevailing marshes that sheltered those who were unable to fi ght”1. This was considered the beginning of Lithuanian warfare. It is believed that the earliest mention of Lithuanian troops in written sources was made by Henry of Livonia in his chronicle describing the march of the Lithuanian Duke Žvelgaitis to the Estonian territories in 12052. Through the centuries, the threat of enemies necessitated the mobilization of forces. At the time, the German Livonian Brothers of the Sword were on the attack from the North, the Principality of Volhynia threatened from the East and the Yotvingians came from the South. The Grand Duke Mindaugas was the fi rst to mobilize forces for defense purposes at the beginning of the 13th century. In 1282, Lithuania was attacked from what was known as Old Prussians by the members of the Teutonic Order.
    [Show full text]
  • History of Lithuanian Historiography
    VYTAUTAS MAGNUS UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY Moreno Bonda History of Lithuanian Historiography DIDACTICAL GUIDELINES Kaunas, 2013 Reviewed by Prof. habil. dr. Egidijus Aleksandravičius Approved by the Department of History of the Faculty of Humanities at Vytautas Magnus University on 30 November 2012 (Protocol No. 3–2) Recommended for printing by the Council of the Faculty of Humanities of Vytau- tas Magnus University on 28 December 2012 (Protocol No. 8–6) Edited by UAB “Lingvobalt” Publication of the didactical guidelines is supported by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Government of the Republic of Lithuania. Project title: “Renewal and Internationalization of Bachelor Degree Programmes in History, Ethnology, Philosophy and Political Science” (project No.: VP1-2.2-ŠMM-07-K-02-048) © Moreno Bonda, 2013 ISBN 978-9955-21-363-5 © Vytautas Magnus University, 2013 Table of Contents About Human Universals (as a Preface) . 5 I. Historiography and Hermeneutics: Definition of the Field . 10 Literature . 22 II. History as “Natural Histories” . 24 Nicolaus Hussovianus’ A Poem about the Size, Ferocity, and the Hunting of the Bison 28; Adam Schroeter’s About the Lithuanian River Nemunas 30; Sigismund von Herberstein’s Notes on Muscovite Affairs (as a conclusion) 31 Literature . 32 III. Proto-Historiography: Annals, Chronicles, State Official His to- riography and Letters . 34 III. 1. Annals and Chronicles . 36 Jan Długosz’s Annals or Chronologies of the Illustrious Kingdom of Poland 39; Peter of Dusburg’s Chronicles of the Prussian Lands 41; Wigand of Marburg’s New Prussian Chronicle 43; The Annals of Degučiai 44; Other Chronicles (for a History of the Historiography about Lithuania) 46 III.
    [Show full text]
  • Cittaslow Cities Warmia • Mazury • Powiśle
    quality of life Cittaslow Cities Warmia • Mazury • Powiśle www.cittaslowpolska.pl Braniewo Lelkowo Gołdap Dubeninki Frombork Budry Tolkmicko Górowo Iławeckie Banie Mazurskie Płoskinia Sępopol Bartoszyce Barciany Pieniężno Srokowo Węgorzewo Młynary Elbląg Milejewo Korsze Kowale Oleckie Wilczęta Pozezdrze Lidzbark Warmiński Kruklanki Orneta Kiwity Kętrzyn Gronowo Elbląskie Bisztynek Olecko Godkowo Reszel Markusy Pasłęk Lubomino Giżycko Świętajno Wieliczki Miłakowo Wydminy Dobre Miasto Jeziorany Kolno Rychliki Miłki Ryn Stare Juchy Małdyty Morąg Świątki Mrągowo Kalinowo Dywity Biskupiec Sorkwity Ełk Zalewo Barczewo Orzysz Jonkowo Mikołajki Łukta Olsztyn Miłomłyn Gietrzwałd Piecki Susz Dźwierzuty Prostki Ostróda Purda Stawiguda Ruciane-Nida Pasym Pisz Biała Piska Kisielice Iława Świętajno Olsztynek Szczytno Grunwald Jedwabno Lubawa Rozogi Biskupiec Dąbrówno Nowe Miasto Lubawskie Wielbark Kurzętnik Grodziczno Nidzica Rybno Janowo Kozłowo Janowiec Kościelny Lidzbark Płośnica Działdowo Iłowo-Osada Opracowanie z danych RegionalneStudygo Sy sbasedtemu Ionnfo therma datacji o of:Terenie WINGiK_OL_IG.IX.7611-5/07 WoThejew Localódzki eLandgo O Informationśrodka Doku Systemmentac jWINGiK_OL_IG.IX.7611-5/07i Geodezyjnej i Kartograficznej UrzęduGeodesic Marszałk andows Cartographickiego Wojewó dProvincionalztwa Warmi ńDocumentationsko-Mazurskieg oCentre w Ols ztynie Reprodukowanie, rozpowszechnianie i rozprowadzanie tych danOfficeych wy mofa gthea z eMarshalzwolen iofa , theo k tóVoivodeshiprym mowa wof a rtWarmia.18 ust aandwy z Maurydnia 1in7 mOlsztynaja 1989 r. Dissemination,- Prawo reproduction geodezyjne i andkarto distributiongraficzne (D ofz. theU. zabove 2010 datar. Nr 1requires93, poz .license 1287, asze referredzm.) to in art 18 of the Act of 17th May 1989 on Geodesic and Cartographic Law (Journal of Laws of 2010 no 193 , position 1287 with amendments). WARMIA • MAZURY •POWIŚLE • MAZURY WARMIA CITTASLOW CITIES CITTASLOW www.cittaslowpolska.pl Olsztyn 2015 www.cittaslowpolska.pl WHY CITTASLOW? ast food restaurants have been created to allow us to save time.
    [Show full text]
  • Warmia and Mazury by Bike Green, Shaded Tunnels Is a Real Pleasure, Es- Pecially That Long and Steep Stretches Are Usually Rather Rare
    Warmia and Mazury WARMIŃSKO-MAZURSKIE VOIVODESHIP PROVINCE MARSHAL’S OFFICE TOURISM DEPARTMENT - Olsztyn, ul. Mariańska by bike T: +48 89 521 69 00 E: [email protected] W: www.warmia.mazury.pl FREE COPY www.mazury.travel Gronowo-Mamonowo R U Gronowo S S 22 see p. 42 I A Zalew Braniewo Bezledy-Bagrationowsk 504 Pasłęka Wiślany 507 510 Frombork Skandawa-Żeleznodorożnyj Gołdap-Gusiew J. Gołdap I N A 651 Lelkowo 511 R A Tolkmicko 512 GOŁDAP K R A P Y 54 507 Górowo O Ę G Stańczyki Iławeckie 51 W J. Oświn Banie SZESKIE Płoskinia Łyna J. Czarne Dubeniki 22 512 BARTOSZYCE 591 Mazurskie 503 505 B J. Pierzchalskie Pieniężno 512 A R Sępopol 63 650 504 C J J. Rydzówka 506 511 A Budry WZGÓRZA P 650 650 O 507 Barciany WĘGORZEWO Milejewo Młynary Wałsza 592 Srokowo J. Przystań D 590 J. Stręgiel 65 Wilczęta Chwalęcin 513 KRAINA J. Święcajty L 7 ELBLĄG 509 J. Mamry 509 LIDZBARK Korsze Kowale A Pasłęka Pozezdrze WARMIŃSKI Oleckie S 22 592 591 J. Dargin Orneta J. Gołdopiwo K J. Druzno 513 WIELKICH 7 Bisztynek I Gronowo 505 Godkowo J. Dobskie 63 J. Litygajno J. Łaźno Wąska 513 Kiwity KĘTRZYN E Elbląskie Pasłęk Wąska 528 Lubomino 51 594 J. Kisajno Kruklanki Kanał 57 Reszel GIŻYCKO 527 Elbląski Łyna P OLECKO P O W 507 JEZIOR J. Gawlik Markusy I Ś L 594 J. Dejguny J. Wydmińskie O Świętajno E Miłakowo 593 655 J 655 593 592 E P Zielonka J. Blanki J. Luterskie J. Niegocin Z Rychliki Dobre J. Guber O Pasłęka Jeziorany Kolno J.
    [Show full text]
  • The Defensive War of Lithuania Lithuania of War Defensive The
    6 5 7 Designed by Laima Adlyte Laima by Designed Lithuanian language editor - Jolanta Budreikiene Jolanta - editor language Lithuanian 250 years (1185-1435) (1185-1435) years 250 Formation of the Battle of Tannenberg (according to Voigt, 1836, and Jucas, 1999, 2009) 1999, Jucas, and 1836, Voigt, to (according Tannenberg of Battle the of Formation 18th-19th centuries, restored and preserved in 1794-1994 (Zamki panstwa krzyzackiego (2009)) (2009)) krzyzackiego panstwa (Zamki 1794-1994 in preserved and restored centuries, 18th-19th altogether. The conclusion one may draw from the description of the battle by Jan Dlugosz is that Jogaila Jogaila that is Dlugosz Jan by battle the of description the from draw may one conclusion The altogether. Knights lasting for for lasting Knights Marienburg Castle was built in the location of the former Baltic Prussian Castle: 1276 – 15th century, rebuilt in in rebuilt century, 15th – 1276 Castle: Prussian Baltic former the of location the in built was Castle Marienburg the battle it was clear that a large portion of the Polish Royal Army had not participated in the battle battle the in participated not had Army Royal Polish the of portion large a that clear was it battle the war with the Teutonic Teutonic the with war Role of the Lithuanian troops. troops. Lithuanian the of Role Chronicle of the Conflict the of Chronicle , by the end of of end the by , the in evidenced As tinued fight with the splintered enemy troops. The battle was ended by overtaking the Order’s camp, a a camp, Order’s the overtaking by ended was battle The troops.
    [Show full text]
  • Universitas Vilnensis 1579-2004
    CONTENTS . THE UNIVERSITY OF VILNIUS: A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW . LITHUANIA BEFORE THE UNIVERSITY 7 3. THE AGE OF BAROQUE: THE JESUIT UNIVERSITY 1579–1773 3 4. THE UNIVERSITY IN THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT 1773–1832 9 5. THE UNIVERSITY IN THE 20TH CENTURY: 40 5.1. The Reconstitution of the University of Vilnius 40 5.2. The University of Stephanus Bathoreus 1919–1939 43 5.3. In the Turmoil of World War Two: 1939–1940–1941–1943 46 5.4. The University in the Soviet Epoch 1944–1990 48 6. ON THE ROAD TO THE 21ST CENTURY 56 7. THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY AND ITS COLLECTIONS 6 8. THE OLD BUILDINGS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VILNIUS 68 9. THE BOOK OF HONOUR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VILNIUS 79 . The University of Vilnius: A Historical Overview On the wall of the old observatory of the University of Vilnius there is an inscription: Hinc itur ad astra (from here one rises to the stars). It is not enough just to say that the University of Vilnius is the The new coat of arms of the University of oldest and most famous university in Lithuania, that it gave rise to Vilnius was designed by the artist Petras Repšys in 1994. In the bottom part of the shield, below the almost all other graduate schools and universities in Lithuania. Such coat of arms of Lithuania Vytis, it features a hand holding a book. In the creation of the coat of arms, a definition would be insufficient to reveal the historical significance the European heraldic tradition was followed since quite a few old European universities have of the University of Vilnius.
    [Show full text]
  • On a Grave Symbol from Northwest Belarus
    ON A GRAVE SYMBOL FROM NORTHWEST BELARUS Andrei Prokhorov Abstract: The article focuses on an interpretation of a funeral symbol found on the gravestones in Northwest Belarus – an engraved image of a pole with a semicircle at its top. The gravestones are connected to the archaeological cul- ture of stone tombs of Yotvingian origin. Possibly, this symbol has been given a wider perspective in the world of late paganism of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and its neighboring territories. This symbol represents an idea of ‘the world axis’, and its main mythological meaning has been to create a communication between the souls of the dead and the upper celestial world which has been imagined as ‘the celestial mountain’. Key words: ‘celestial mountain’, cosmological symbol, funerary ritual, grave- stone, North Star (polestar), Slavic and Baltic mythology, ‘world axis’ Among the numerous medieval gravestones in Northwest Belarus, there is a group of stones featuring an engraved image of a pole with a semicircle at its top. All these gravestones are quite simple and feature no other symbols or inscriptions. Until now, gravestones with the image of a pole with a semicircle have been found in the regions surrounding the cities of Pruzhany, Lahojsk, Orsha, Garadok, Vileyka and the village of Lukoml’ (Figs. 1 & 2). Some of these images, engraved on stones, have been published in proper scientific editions (Kviatkovskaia 1998: 32; Matulis 1990: 137–138). ON THE ORIGIN AND DATING OF GRAVESTONES The region where the funeral symbols in the form of a pole with a semicircle are spread offers a chance to make assumptions about the ethnicity of their founders.
    [Show full text]