2020

LVM Experts Find New Historical Evidence in a Pine Forest in Slate

JSC “Latvia’s State Forests” (LVM) environment planning experts take advantage of the opportunities given by this year`s “green winter” to carry out works that would be difficult to do in a snowier winter. The archaeological monument complex in Slate has already been surveyed together with experts of the National Heritage Board. There one can find nine old burial barrow groups, settlement sites and significant stones. While performing daily forestry works, an LVM planner noticed a new burial mound that from now on will be surveyed and taken care of.

“When trees have no leaves, it is easier to notice the little lines in the relief and significant places can be identified much more efficiently. We maintain and improve sites and sightseeing facilities that are located in the territory of state forests and bear the status of cultural and historical heritage. Each year, these places are surveyed, maintained and taken care of, urging everyone to get to know our cultural and historical evidence in the nature,” tells Sandra Līckrastiņa, LVM Environment Planning Expert. Cooperation with cultural heritage experts is very valuable, since it allows tracking and recording exact locations in the forest.

Slate Pine Forest is located in Jēkabpils Municipality; it is a unique archaeological and cultural-historical complex. Here you will find the currently biggest known barrow cemetery of the Baltic tribes of the Early and Middle Iron Age and the flat grave field called the Hill of the Dead (Miroņu kalns). Slate Pine Forest has covered and in that way protected an ensemble that includes a large living site, a burial place, field, road and other archaeological sites the evidence of which can also be found in folklore.

Slate burial places are located in a large forest that is about 3 kilometres long, north-west from Slate. The burial mounds are arranged in three groups: in the north-western part of Slate Pine Forest on the edge of the forest opposite the former Ērgļi homes there are 19 burial barrows; around 300 metres south-east there are ten more barrows that are poorly preserved. The third barrow group is located in the eastern part of Slate Pine Forest on a firebreak. It includes nine barrows.

Slate Pine Forest burial places are the biggest barrow cemetery of such type in Latvia, and its importance is also evidenced by the fact that it has been very frequently mentioned in works of the Iron Age.