Archaeology and the History of the Lithuanian Resistance in the 19th and 20th Centuries: in search of the public benefit

Abstract

Two chance discoveries during development-led archaeology in Vilnius have brought the recent history of the Lithuanian Republic to the forefront. The burials of 20 individuals involved in the uprising against the Russian Empire in 1863–1864 were found on Gedimas Hill in 2017, and in 2018 the remains of Adolfas Ramanauskas-Vanagas, a leader of the guerrilla warfare against the Soviet Union in 1944–1953 were found. These discoveries brought great public interest, and advanced knowledge of archaeology. Notably they also encouraged senior politicians from Poland, Belarus and Lithuania to enter into debates on matters that have historically been difficult to discuss.

Keywords

• archaeology
• lithuania
• political history
• adolfas ramanauskas-vanagas
• difficult heritage
• public interest
• shared history