Kurzeme, Zemgale and Sēlija Iron Age to early modern collection

The collection features archaeological artefacts from the Daugava left bank (from Kurzeme, Zemgale and Sēlija), which chronologically range from the last centuries BC to the 18th century.

The collections include artefacts from Curonian, Vendian, Semigallian and Selonian sites, as well as artefacts of earlier archaeological cultures of flat graves of south-western Latvia, tarand graves of Northern Kurzeme, as well as Zemgale and Sēlija barrow burials with a stone ring and late Scratched Pottery. They also contain artefacts from Livonian stone castles and excavations of medieval and early modern cemeteries.

The most important among the Early Iron Age collections are the collections of Lazdini, Mazkatuži, Gailīši burial sites, as well as Spietiņi settlement and burial site.

The collections of Middle Iron Age burial sites of Boķi, Oši, Bāļas-Škērstaiņi and Ģeistauti are considered particularly informative for archaeological research. Particularly noteworthy is the collection of archaeological artefacts from the Scandinavian burial sites near Grobiņa (Priediens, Smukumi, Jāči).

Noteworthy are the extensive collections of Late Iron Age hillfort artefacts: the collections of the Semigallian Mežotne and Tērvete hillforts, the main political centre of the Selonians, Sēlpils hillfort, as well as Stupeļi hillfort, the Vendian-Curonian Mežīte hillfort and Talsi hillfort. Among the collections of the Curonian burial sites, the most significant are those of Vilkumuiža, Sāraji and Kalniņi. The Čunkāni-Dreņģeri collection is noteworthy among the collections of Semigallian burial sites as it is the most extensively studied prehistoric burial site in Latvia in terms of the number of burials. The collections of Lejasdopeļi and Beteļi burial sites are important for the understanding of the history of the Selonians.

The collection contains materials from the Livonian castles of Sēlpils, Altene and Bauska, as well as smaller collections of Kurzeme stone castles (Piltene, Dundaga). The material culture and burial traditions of the local population in the Middle Ages cannot be studied without the extensive materials from the medieval and early modern cemeteries of Dobele and Sēlpils.

A small part of the collection consists of hoards found on the left bank of the Daugava. The collection includes part of the Kokmuiža hoard, the largest in Latvia by number of items and the Rijnieki hoard, the largest silver deposit in Latvia.

Curator of the collection Austra Engīzere

In order to research the museum’s collection in person, please fill out the form and send to: muzejs@lnvm.lv

Research museum collection

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