Tytuvėnų Švč. Mergelės Marijos bažnyčios ir bernardinų vienuolyno ansamblio teritorija

LT2014 m. spalio 29–31 d. atlikti žvalgomieji archeologiniai tyrimai Tytuvėnų Švč. Mergelės Marijos bažnyčios ir bernardinų vienuolyno ansamblio (UK 975) teritorijoje ir apsaugos zonoje (Kelmės r., Tytuvėnai, Maironio g.). Šioje vietoje planuojama įrengti pėsčiųjų ir dviračių takus, automobilių stovėjimo aikšteles, apšvietimo sistemą. Prieš rengiant detalų statybos projektą, numatomų darbų teritorijos dalyje, patenkančioje į kultūros paveldo vertybės teritoriją bei apsaugos zoną, buvo būtina atlikti žvalgomuosius archeologinius tyrimus. Tirtoje teritorijoje reljefas pakitęs XIX-XX a. tvarkant vienuolyno ansamblio, Tytuvėnų gimnazijos ir kitų statinių teritorijas, įrengiant gatves ir šaligatvius. Fiksuoti iki 80 cm storio piltiniai ir niveliaciniai sluoksniai, susiformavę virš XVI/XVII-XIX a. datuojamo pirminio paviršiaus. Po tyrimų archeologiniai radiniai (56 vienetai) perduoti LNM. [...] [p. 269, 273].

ENOn 29–31 October 2014, a field evaluation (11 test pits, a total of 21.2 m2 ) was conducted on the grounds and in the protection zone of the St Mary Queen of Angels Church in Tytuvėnai and the Bernardine monastery complex (Kelmė district, Tytuvėnai, Maironio street). The Tytuvėnai church and monastery complex was built in the early 17th-18th centuries, reconstructed in the 19th century, and restored in the second half of the 20th century. From one to over ten finds characteristic of the 16th/17th–19th/20th centuries were found in every excavated test pit. The absolute majority of the 17th-19th centuries finds were discovered in the mixed greyish brown sandy loam layer, which is the original surface at this site. It was reached at a depth of 25–80 cm in different test pits and is fairly thick (up to 40 cm), but contained very few finds. It seems that this location could have been the site of the monastery garden, into which potsherds, isolated stove tile fragments, and glass vessel shards found their way from the nearby grounds of the former monastery. The greater part of the finds consisted of sherds of household pottery, shards of glass vessels, and isolated pieces of window glass. Hand-forged nails, a 19th century hand-forged bolt, a bronze 19th century button, etc. were also found.A foundation (or paving) which was for a building of uncertain purpose, was made of fieldstones without a binder, and should be dated to the 19th century, was unearthed at a depth of 50–57 cm in test pit 2. It is possible that a small outbuilding could have stood outside the monastery fence (perhaps was attached to it) in the first half mid 19th century. Instead of a building foundation, it could also be stone paving marking the edge of the road, made of rubble and soil, that ran along the monastery’s exterior fence. A 5–20 cm thick layer of mixed sand was recorded at a depth of 70–80 cm and under this, at roughly a depth of 90 cm, a layer, up to 35–45 cm thick, of mixed grey sandy soil with finds dating to the 16th/17th-19th centuries. In test pit 11, which was excavated on the N side of the entrance gates to the monastery’s grounds, stone paving was recorded beside the western side entrance. The relief in the investigated area was altered in the 19th-20th centuries in putting the grounds of the monastery complex, Tytuvėnai gymnasium, and other buildings in order and in laying streets and foot paths. Fill and levelling layers, up to 80 cm thick, had been created above the original surface, which dates to the 16th/17th-19th centuries. The finds (56 in number) were given to the LNM.