An unexpected find by archaeologists during excavations at Anykščiai Manor site has made the history of the Lithuanian town at least 50 years older, the Anykščiai Arts Incubator writes in a press release.
During excavations at the manor, the archaeologists have unearthed a 14th-century coin of Jogaila, Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland.
Another team, which excavated the path to the Šventoji River, also found artefacts from the end of the 14th century, indicating that a new settlement was already being established along the Anykšta River at that time, and was the origin of the present-day Anykščiai.
According to historian Tomas Baranauskas, “written records of the former Anykščiai Manor date back to the mid-15th century, and more mentions appear in the 16th century”.
The manor was first mentioned in 1442 during the visit of the Grand Duke of Lithuania and the King of Poland Kazimieras Jogailaitis, the son of Jogaila. Previous archaeological investigations could not establish an earlier existence of the manor.
The early coins of Jogaila are quite rare in Lithuania. According to scientists, the new find suggests that the manor was built as an unfortified residence at the end of the 14th century.
“The finds allow us to advance the history of Anykščiai by about 50 years,” says archaeologist Gintautas Zabiela.
The archaeological findings also show that the first inhabitants settled in the Anykščiai area around 9000 BC.
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