Ažutakio senovės gyvenvietės tyrimai

LT2016 m. archeologinių tyrimų metu pirmos terasos pakraštyje ir šlaite į senvagę (būsimos sodybos kiemo vietoje) iš viso ištirtas 60 m2 dydžio plotas (2 besijungiančios perkasos). Tyrimuose dalyvavo VU archeologijos studijų 2–3 kurso studentai. Bendras tyrinėto horizonto storis siekė 0,3–1,4 m. Tyrinėtas plotas pasižymėjo itin sudėtinga stratigrafija-tyrimų metu susidurta su bene visomis įmanomomis geologinėmis nuogulomis. Tirto ploto P ir centrinėje dalyje (pirmos viršsalpinės terasinės aikštelės pakraštys ir šlaito viršutinė dalis) po perartu 12–27 cm storio dirvožemio horizontu vietomis aptiktas iki 8–14 cm storio rudo smėlio–žvyro sluoksnis (labai sukietėjęs) su stambiais rieduliais (sluoksniui gilėjant ir šviesėjant labai pradėjo daugėti molio), žemiau dengėsi įžemis-balkšvo rusvo pilkšvo stipriai sukietėjusio smėlio–žvyro su rieduliais ir kreidos / mergelio atplaišomis sluoksnis. Tirto ploto Š pusėje (terasos šlaito apatinė dalis) po perartu 13–37 cm storio dirvožemio horizontu atsidengė apie 8–20 cm storio tamsiai pilkas glėjinis gruntas (buvęs dirvožemis?), storėjantis R kryptimi. Žemiau slūgsojo apie 18–64 cm storio rudo (vietomis rusvo) smėlio–žvyro su stambiais rieduliais sluoksnis, storėjantis Š kryptimi, po kuriuo dengėsi apie 7–21 cm storio rudo žvyro su stambiais rieduliais ir šlynu suplautinė juosta (sluoksnis ėjo banguota juosta). Žemiau dengėsi įžemis-rusvas balkšvas smėlis su įplauto molio lęšiais. Visuose šiuose sluoksniuose, net ir įžemio viršuje, aptikta pavienių archeologinių radinių. [...] [p. 32-33].

ENIn 2016, an investigation was conducted at Ažutakis old settlement (Švenčionys district), which had been founded on the sandy gravelly flood plain and first terrace, which rises up to 1–4 m above the river’s water level, on the left bank of the Žeimena. The settlement was excavated by E. Šatavičius in 2007–2008 and 2015. During the 2016 investigation, a total of 60 m2 was excavated at the site of a future farmyard. The excavated area was distinguished by an especially complex stratigraphy. Under a freshly ploughed 12–27 cm thick topsoil horizon in the S and central part of the excavated area (the edge of the first terrace and the upper part of the slope), a layer, up to 8–14 cm thick, of brown sand gravel with large boulders was discovered in places above natural soil, a layer of very hard, whitish tan greyish sand gravel with boulders and splinters of chalk/marl. Under a freshly ploughed 13–37 cm thick topsoil horizon in the N part of the excavated area (the lower part of the slope) was unearthed a roughly 8–20 cm thick layer of dark grey gleysol (former topsoil?), followed by a roughly 18–64 cm thick layer of brown (in places tan) sand–gravel with large boulders, a roughly 7–21 cm thick alluvial band of brown gravel with large boulders and argil, and finally natural soil: tan whitish sand with pockets of deposited clay. In all of the layers, even in the surface of the natural soil, isolated archaeological finds were discovered. The total thickness of the excavated horizon at this location was 0.3–1.4 m. Two features: stains of grey sand–gravel, one of which had probably been a hearth, were identified on the S edge of the investigated area.A total of 138 flint, 148 pottery, 3 metal, and one stone find were discovered during the investigation. The majority were small in size and fragmentary (a consequence of long-term ploughing). The flint finds had been manufactured from good quality grey flint and about 8% of them had been in a fire. The bulk of the flint inventory consisted of various-sized flakes (around 72.66%) while blades and blade pieces formed only around 15.11%. Three microliths, 5 scrapers, 2 artefact fragments, 21 blades and blade pieces, 101 flakes, 1 core fragment, and 6 pieces of raw flint were discovered during the investigation. The majority were found in the NE zone of the investigated area. Stratigraphically the absolute majority of the flint finds (about 78%) lay in grey plough layer, the rest in a roughly 20–60 cm thickness. The majority of the discovered flint finds date to the mesolithic–neolithic and should be ascribed to the Kunda–Narva cultural groups. But individual finds from both earlier and later periods were also encountered. 70 sherds were from hand built earthenware vessels with fine–coarse crushed granite temper and straight and slightly curved walls. The outside of the sherds was smooth or more or less rough. Almost all of the hand built vessel sherds lay in lithological layers below the grey plough layer. They date to the late 2nd–3rd century and the early rough pottery tradition. 79 sherds from partly thrown and hand thrown earthenware vessels dating to the late 16th mid 20th centuries and ascribable to the Ažutakis old village site were found in the plough layer during the investigation.