An archaeological workshop held last May at Szurpiły was attended by guests from Lithuania and Norway. Saulius Vadišiš and Dr Gintautas Vėlius from the State Cultural Reserve of Kernavė (Kernavė Archaeological Site) and Professor Gintautas Zabiela from the Klaipeda University gave presentations on Lithuanian hillforts and conservation measures taken to preserve this type of site (e.g., regular deforestation). This was followed by a report on the progress in hillforts research in Norway given by Dr M. Gollwitzer, a representative of one of our Norwegian Partners – Vest Agder Regional Council, Departments of Monuments and Sites in Kristiansand. The Polish-Norwegian Modern Archaeological Conservation Initiative “Archaeology of Yatvings” and its current results were discussed by Anna Bitner-Wróblewska, Marcin Engel and Cezary Sobczak. Guests invited to this part of the workshop included representatives of the local authorities, conservation offices and local inhabitants, e.g., Kazimierz Urynowicz, Head of the Jeleniewo commune, fellow archaeologists from the District Museum in Suwałki, and the representatives of the Lithuanian minority from Puńsk, including members of the Yatving-Prussian Association, and the Secretary of the Puńsk commune. Other members of the audience included the participants of the team excavating at Szurpiły and the representatives of Antiquarians Associated, co-organizer of the workshop.

As part of the workshop, guests from Lithuania and Norway paid a visit to the archaeological complex at Szurpiły including sites then under excavation within the “Archaeology of Yatvings” project. This was an excellent opportunity for some on-site consultations and a discussion on the possible interpretation of archaeological features. The workshop closed with a tour of selected hillforts of the Suwałki Region.

List of lectures:

Anna Bitner-Wróblewska, Wprowadzenie do Projektu „Archeologia Jaćwieży” / Introduction to the Project „Achaeology of Yatvings”

Marcin Engel, Cezary Sobczak, Oczekiwania i rezultaty. Pierwszy rok badań w ramach Projektu “Archeologia Jaćwieży” / Expectations and results. One year investigations of the Project “Archaeology of Yatvings”

Martin Gollwitzer, Badania grodzisk w Norwegii – przegląd problematyki / Hillforts research in Norway – an overview

Gintautas Vėlius, System obronny komleksu osadniczego w Kernavė w różnych fazach / The defence system of the Kernavė complex in different phases

Saulius Vadišis, Kompleks stanowisk archeologicznych w Kernavė – ochrona i interpretacja / Kernavė archaeological site – its protection and interpretation

Gintautas Zabiela, Wyniki badań grodzisk z południowo-zachodniej Litwy po opracowaniu P. Kulikauskasa: nowe odkrycia i stare problemy / The results of investigations of hillforts in south-western Lithuania after P. Kulikauskas: new discoveries and old problems