Kulgrinda ( lit. Kūlgrinda , from zhemait. Kūlis - “stone” and grinda - “paving stones”; from grįsti - “raking”) [1] - in Lithuania, a secret stone road, passing in swamps below the water level and used by local residents for defense [1] . Similar roads made of wood and earth (covered with stones and logs) in Lithuania were called “meadgrinda” ( lit. medgrinda , from medis “tree”) and “zhemgrinda” ( lit. žemgrinda , from žemė - “land”) [ 2] .
Content
Technology
The upper layer of paving stones consisted of evenly laid stones with a diameter of 10–20 cm and was superimposed on the base or on a special lower layer intended to strengthen the upper one. The base consisted of randomly enclosed field stones 50–80 cm in diameter or stumps, branches and trunks thrown into the swamp; it could also be a complex structure of pine logs folded across, onto which a layer of sand was poured. From the sides of the kulgrind, it was strengthened by pine fields or stone wedges and protected from drift by silt with the help of grooves. The width of the kulgrind ranged from 1.5 to 6 m, the length was at least 3-4 m or even several hundred meters. In order to preserve secrecy, kulgrindy were often laid under water and had a curving shape. Construction was usually carried out in winter: stones, firewood or gravel were brought for the winter and allowed them to sink to the bottom in spring, as soon as the ice began to melt [3] . Sometimes this procedure was repeated several times. Logs were inserted specifically to protect the material for construction and to prevent the waters from washing it off [4] .
Application
Since it was difficult to detect with the naked eye, these roads were known only to local residents. They played a key role in the defensive systems of cities: they were shortcuts to important villages, cities, or fortifications [5] . Some of these paths were cultic and led to a sanctuary or burial site.
Archaeological Data
Lithuania
The oldest kulgrind dates back to the 1st century A.D. and were laid in the territory of Prussia; in Lithuania, the oldest kulgrind dates back to the 4th century A.D. Strong traditions of building roads near the western Baltic countries were used in Poland and Lithuania: in the XIII century, the inhabitants who migrated from Prussia formed the estate engaged in this craft. Most of the kulgrind was found in Lithuania, half of them were found in the Zhemaitia region: these are the villages of Alkupis and Burbishkiai (Shilale district), the village of Obeliai (Ukmerge district), the village of Karnavė (Shirvinsky district), etc. Archaeologists counted 27 kulgrind and 7 medgrind in Lithuania [6] . The longest kulgrind passes through the Setuw swamp between Lukshtas and Parshegeris in емemaitija: its three fragments are preserved [1] . In the 19th century, it connected the places of Kaltinenai and Tveray [3] . One of the first who found this coolgrind was the Polish encyclopedic scientist Ludwik Kshivitsky [3] .
Other well-known kulgrindas were found in the Amalva swamp in southern Lithuania and in Schuraychai near Prekul [1] . The Alkupis Kulgrind near Quedarna was seriously damaged during agricultural operations in the Lithuanian SSR [4] . The oldest surviving medgrind in Lithuania was found in Kernava (IV – VII centuries) [7] .
Outside Lithuania
Some kulgrindy were found in Latvia and Russia ( Kaliningrad region ) [2] , as well as in Belarus [2] . In Belarus, kulgrindas were found on Lake Krasnoe in the Disnensky district of the Vilnius province (now Miorsky district of the Vitebsk region ) and between the village of Nanosy and the city of Myadel on Lake Naroch . One such kulgrind on Lake Naroch, known as the Devil's Rowing, is paved with tightly laid stones and is located at a depth of 125 cm, rising 160 cm above the bottom of the lake and having a length of 1 km. On this trail, four harnessed horses could walk simultaneously. Kulgrinda, which was a secret path to Myadel Castle, is also located on Lake Miastro . According to legend, the Swedish army once noticed how a cow crossed the lake along this path and left along the same road to the castle. It is believed that there was also a kulgrinda on Lake Myadel. The area near the village of Skara is popularly called "Mostovitsa". The wooden remains of the old bridge that led to Castle Island have survived to this day.
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 Simas Sužiedėlis, ed. (1970-1978), "Kūlgrinda", Encyclopedia Lituanica , vol. III, Boston, Massachusetts: Juozas Kapočius, p. 225, LCC 74-114275
- ↑ 1 2 3 (Belorussian) "Military Mastership of Slavs and Balts of 5-9th Centuries" , Ya. Novikov
- ↑ 1 2 3 Sietuvos kūlgrinda (lit.) . Varniai Regional Park. Date of treatment March 22, 2009.
- ↑ 1 2 Almonaitis, Vytenis. Gedimino pilis (ne ta) ir kitos vietų prie Dievo įdomybės (lit.) // Šiaurės Atėnai. - 2006 .-- 10 Birželis ( nr. 800 ). - ISSN 1648-7168 .
- ↑ Kaplūnaitė, Irma Terminai (lit.) . Aruodai (December 5, 2005). Date of treatment March 22, 2009.
- ↑ Baubonis, Zenonas. Kūlgrindų, medgrindų ir žemgrindų klausimu // Aktualūs kultūros paminklų tyrinėjimų uždaviniai: Konferencijos pranešimų tezės (Vilnius, 1988 m. Spalis): [ lit. ] . - Vilnius: Mokslinė metodinė kultūros paminklų apsaugos taryba, 1988. - P. 47–53.
- ↑ Kaplūnaitė, Irma Terminai (lit.) . Aruodai (December 16, 2005). Date of treatment March 22, 2009.
Literature
- Y. U. Novіkaў. Kulgrynda // Vyalikae Principality of Lithuania. Enceclapedia at 3 t . - Mn. : BelEn , 2005. - T. 2: Kadetsky Corps - Yatskevich. - 788 p. - ISBN 985-11-0378-0 .
- Donўar A. “Masti ў paўtara rods”. Narys z gistory of the gift of the stones of Belarus XVI — XVIII art. // Spadchyna. Mn., No. 2-3-3 / 2003 (152). S. 63-69.
- Kirkor A.K. Modern nature of Lithuania. // Picturesque Russia. Our Fatherland in its land, historical, tribal, economic and domestic importance. T. 3. Lithuanian and Belarusian Polesie. Reprint reproduction of the 1882 edition. Mn., 1993.S. 49 - 72.
- Kabloў S. Padovodnaya archealogy in Belarus. // Z glybi vyako. Our land. Mn., 1996.S. 27-50.
- Kulgrind // Lithuania. Brief Encyclopedia. - Vilnius: Main edition of the encyclopedias of the Lithuanian SSR, 1989. - S. 351. - 672 p. - 22,000 copies.
- Lastoўskі V. Padruchny race-Crimean (Belarusian) Sloven. Koўna, 1924.S. 42.
- Baubonis Z. Kūlgrindų, medgrindų ir žemgrindų klausimu. // Aktualūs kultūros paminklų tyrinėjimų uždaviniai: Konferencijos pranešimų tezės. (Zyanonas Bábonis. Yes, torture ab kulgryndah, mädgryndy i zhemgryndah. // Actual torture dasledledvannyў remembrance of culture: Tezisy dakladў kanferentsі.) Vilnius, 1988. 47-53.