Detalieji tyrimai Polocko gatvėje 2

LT2014 m. kovo mėnesį atlikti archeologiniai tyrimai sklype Polocko g. 2 ir jame esančiame pastate. Sklypas Polocko g. 2 yra istoriniame Užupio priemiestyje, kiek nutolęs nuo dviejų gatvių trasų-Užupio–Polocko ir Krivių gatvių-išsišakojimo. Manoma, kad Polocko gatvės trasa yra labai sena-dalis XX a. tarpukariu dirbusių Vilniaus praeities tyrinėtojų (pvz., Marjanas Moreliovskis) nurodo buvusį Polocko (Vitebsko) kelią egzistavus nuo 1320 m. (kitų šaltinių duomenimis-nuo 1318 m.). Sklype iki šiol archeologiniai tyrimai nebuvo atliekami, tačiau tyrimai vyko artimiausioje šio sklypo aplinkoje. 2003 m. atlikti tyrimai sklypo Polocko g. 6 Š dalyje (ATL 2003 m., V., 2005, p. 234–236). Ankstyviausias sklype tirto kultūrinio sluoksnio horizontas datuotas XVI a. Šio sluoksnio storis 10–40 cm. XVII a. pagal aptiktus radinius datuotų kultūrinio sluoksnio horizontų storis skirtingose sklypo dalyse svyravo nuo 0,8–1 m iki 1–1,3 m. Bendras kultūrinio sluoksnio storis siekė iki 2,5 m. R sklypo dalyje aptiktos XVII a. I pusėje pastatytos skliautuotos krosnies liekanos. Tiksli krosnies paskirtis nenustatyta, jos aplinkoje neaptikta pastato ar kitokio statinio liekanų. [...] [p. 403-404].

ENAn excavation was conducted on the plot at Polocko St. 2 near a once strategically important road intersection in the historic Vilnius suburb of Užupis. The reconstruction of the former medical establishment’s building at this site is foreseen by expanding it and installing modern homes. Prior to beginning the construction work, a 2014 excavation was conducted in 600 m2 on this plot, which has never been investigated by archaeologists. The cultural layer on this plot is thin, from 0.3 to 1.4 m thick, but in places where wells were dug into the sterile soil, it was even over 6 m thick. Although the archaeological layer is not very thick and nor rich in finds, several essential stages in the development of this territory managed to be identified during the investigation. The earliest cultural layer horizon dates to the 15th or even 14th century. The earliest discovered finds (a hoard of Lithuanian Grand Duke Casimir IV Jagiellon pennies and sherds of "pot-shaped" stove tiles (Topfkacheln) and early blackware) should be dated to the second half late 15th century. During the earliest period of the plot’s development it was occupied by wooden structures. During this period, there was some structure (a bank?), perhaps defensive, with wooden structures on the part of the plot near Krivių street. An area of ground in the inner courtyard of the current building was involved in agriculture at that time as the lower cultural layer horizons, which formed on top of the sterile soil, were full of ashes and the sterile sand still bears signs of ploughing. Later the plot was abandoned for a period with activities resuming in the 16th century.At that time the plot was used for pottery production. The remains of the two industrial kilns were discovered and the well shafts that existed in it excavated. Samples were taken from one of the wells for dendrochronological dating. The boards from the well’s wooden structure could not be reliably dated but the samples taken from the rebated boards filling the well were dated to 1715. After the 1655–1661 devastation of Vilnius during the Russo-Polish War, the plot was only inhabited again in the second half of the 17th–18th century and the remains of buildings and other structures from this period were discovered. A corner of claybound masonry wall dating to this period was found in the part of the plot near Krivių street. The remains of wooden structures in the greyish sand soil were probably connected with this building. Trenches 3 and 4, which were excavated in the inner courtyard of the building at Polocko st. 2 contained the remains of long, convex wooden structures facing E that probably date to the 18th century or perhaps to the last part of that century. The precise purpose of this object could not be determined. It could be a fence separating two plots or encircling one or perhaps fortifications, from the 1702 Swedish incursion or the 1794 uprising led by Tadeusz Kościuszko. The next stage of the plot’s development identified during the investigation was the early 19th century when buildings with masonry structures (strip foundations and basements) were erected. These buildings began to be demolished in the mid 19th century and new ones erected in their place. The continuation of the investigation in this Vilnius Old Town courtyard is foreseen.