Summary

The prehistory of Vilkija land

Mindaugas Bertašius

Vilkija is one of the Nemunas riverside towns notable for a picturesque landscape. Vilkija is linked to the land and valsčius of Paštuva (Pastovie) and Jaučakiai mound. This part of the Nemunas valley had been inhabited during Palaeolithic, later Mesolithic settlements there are also known as well as interesting archaeological finds of Neolithic time.

The mounds in this area and the Iron Age dated burial sites among them are most broadly known. The distribution of the burial sites show that the people here had been in close relationship with the river in their activities. The more detailed studies of the Jaučakiai mound in 2001–2007 showed that there was a large 7.7 ha settlement at its eastern side. The old burial sites of Kriemala, Paštai, Nosiedai–Mikytai on both banks of the Nemunas were also partly investigated. Allthe burial monuments in the area of Vilkija–prehistoric burial sites–should be attributed to the Middle or the Central ethno-cultural region of Lithuania.