Nature Melody, Beauty Melody…
Elena Konysheva, "Respublika (The Republic) newspaper", No 25, February 08, 2008
In December, 2009 it will be 600 years since the beginning of the preservation state of Belovezhskaya Pushcha (one of the biggest European forest). This statement resulted from Belarusian and Polish scientists’ documental survey. The first mentioning in the chronicles on Grand Duke Vytautas’ and Jogaila’s hunting for catering of the unity troops who won in the Battle of Grunwald is dated exactly since December, 1409. There is much to do for preparations for anniversary celebration including careful R&D works studying historical legacy of Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park, detailed analysis of historical, archeological and ethnographical sources and data as well as to develop recommendations on its practical application.
The first archeological signs dated from primeval times were found on the National Park territory late ŐIŐ near Rudnya village. The dwelling sites were further investigated now and then. Only in 90s years of ŐŐ century due to employees of the History Institute of the Belarusian National Academy of Science several settlement sites dated from stone, bronze and iron ages were found in the northern part of woods (within Svislotch and Pruzhany districts) near Gritzky, Ranevichy and Rozhky villages, and on the south – near Vily, Selishche Bolshoe, Selishche Maloe and Kamenyuky villages. But in general this territory represented a gap on the archeological map of Belarus.
2007 year is a milestone in history of the survey of Stone, Bronze and Iron aged sanctuaries located on the territory of the National Park. Several scientific parties under the supervision of V.Lakiza, Ĺ.Ęŕlechitz, and V.Belyavetz with support from postgraduates and history students of Belarusian and Brest state universities gave a momentum to historical and archeological research in this unique part of the country. We asked Vadim Lakiza, expedition lead and head of primitive society archeological dept at History Institute of Belarus’ National Academy of Sciences to comment on the first results of the work.
At the end of June, 2007 we worked together with archeology postgraduates and BSU history students. The exploration concentrated in the basin of the Lesnaya River covering the area from the village of Vily up to Kamenyuki. Moving on in chess order we mapped the finds over a couple of days. Two were spotted by Vily and three in the vicinity of Selishche Bolshoe and Selishche Maloe. One very promising site was found in the Student Mont stow next to Kamenyuki. A preliminary search of it allowed us, unexpectedly, to come up with important results. We discovered artifacts which show signs of people’s settlements there already in neolitis (V—IIIths B.C.E.) or bronze (IIths B.C.E.). History students from Brest State University were actively engaged in the work.
The search continued in the second half of July. This time E.Kalechits, a PhD in history, worked near Kamenyuki on the left bank of the Lesnaya Pravaya River. She focused on the settlement Kamenyuki 2-Gory, which bears traces of household holes and fire, and then unearthed piles of burnt and cracked stones, various flint craftwork, labouring tools and handmade ceramics – all can be dated to the Mesolithic and Bronze eras. The site, together with Kamenyuki 1, is the most likely candidate to become an open-air archeological museum in Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park. It will help show the development of material and spiritual culture of western Belarus from the mesolite, neolite, bronze and iron times to the Middle Ages.
On behalf of all members of the expedition we thank the administration and specialists of the national park for their support in the study and conservation of our country’s archeological heritage. Scientific work is just beginning and we are very positive about the prospects of historical research.
In the photo: the most likely site for an open-air museum.
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