New insights into the medieval history of a non-urban territory: multidisciplinary investigations in SE Lithuania

Abstract

This paper presents results of the interdisciplinary investigations into the ancient wooden construction, presumably, a well, discovered near the Pamerkiai village, south-eastern Lithuania. The study aims at ascertaining the context (specific geological-geomorphological situation and the habitation history of this territory) of this comparably well-preserved and very uncommon find. The discovered wooden construction and its environment were investigated applying a multi-disciplinary approach combining the archaeological survey, which includes analysis of the collected artefacts, the dendrological examination of the timber used for construction, investigations of the plant macroremains and pollen found in the infilling material, and the 14C dating (conventional and AMS) of the organic material; and the geological-geomorphological characterization of the site. A new perspective to gain data about the infrastructure that might have existed in the area in the 15th century is provided: the integrated and interdisciplinary research is believed to reveal the natural and anthropogenic context. A discussion on the feasibility of tracing the origins of the modern Pamerkiai village is generated. It is alternatively hypothesized that the discovered wooden construction is part of the stopover place on the highroad that has been archaeologically unexplored.