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Biržulis

Coordinates: 55°46′N 22°26′E / 55.767°N 22.433°E / 55.767; 22.433
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Lake Biržulis
Lake Biržulis is located in Lithuania
Lake Biržulis
Lake Biržulis
Coordinates55°46′N 22°26′E / 55.767°N 22.433°E / 55.767; 22.433
Primary outflowsVirvytė
Basin countriesLithuania
Max. length3.6 km (2.2 mi)
Max. width1.3 km (0.81 mi)
Surface area4.7 km2 (1.8 sq mi)
Average depth0.91 m (3 ft 0 in)
Max. depth2.4 m (7 ft 10 in)
Islands2

Lake Biržulis is a lake in the Telšiai District of western Lithuania. It has a maximum length in the north-south direction of 3.6 km. The lake has two islands, Spiginas and Duonkalnis, which have yielded Mesolithic and Neolithic burials including the Mesolithic grave of the "Duonkalnis shaman".

Archaeology

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The island site of Spiginas have yielded four burials dating from 7780 BP to 4080 BP.[1] The grave pits were shallow and filled with red ochre, and yielded grave goods of perforated pendants of elk and boar teeth.[2]

The island site of Duonkalnis (also Donkalnis) has yielded around 14 graves.[2] The most remarkable of these is the double grave of the Duonkalnis "shaman".[3] A young man was buried together with a woman in a grave sprinkled with red ochre beside a ritual hearth also sprinkled with ochre.[4] His body was adorned with 57 amulets including moose teeth strung across his head and wild boar tusks on each of his eyes.[4] The body is now on display in the Archaeology section of the National Museum of Lithuania in Vilnius.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Julku, Kyösti; Wiik, Kalevi (2000). The Roots of Peoples and Languages of Northern Eurasia. Societas Historiae Fenno-Ugricae. p. 119.
  2. ^ a b Kiaupa, Zigmantas (2000). The History of Lithuania: Before 1795. Lietuvos Istorijos institutas. p. 20.
  3. ^ Griciuvienė, Eglė (2000). Prehistoric Lithuania: Archaeological Exposition Guide. National Museum of Lithuania. p. 26.
  4. ^ a b c "Museums: Prehistoric Lithuania a New Museum Dedicated to the Past". Draugas News. 15 September 2000.