Ažutakio senovės gyvenvietės tyrimai

LT2008m. pradėti Ažutakio senovės gyvenvietės archeologiniai tyrimai. Tyrimai vykdyti tiek autoriaus, tiek KPD bei LAD lėšomis pagal Archeologinio ir povandeninio vertingųjų savybių pobūdžio objektų ir vietovių atskleidimo programą. Ažutakio senovės gyvenvietė yra Švenčionių r. Pabradės sen., apie 1,2 km į R–ŠR nuo plento Vilnius–Švenčionys sankryžos su kelio atšaka ties Pravalo ežeru į Sužionis, apie 360 m į ŠV nuo geležinkelio Vilnius–Daugpilis, tarp vietinės reikšmės keliuko Družiliai–Važeliškė ir Žeimenos kairiojo kranto, Ažutakio kaimo ŠR pakraštyje. Gyvenvietė įkurta ant Žeimenos kairiojo kranto smėlingos–žvyringos pirmos viršsalpinės terasos ir salpos, iškylančių iki 1–4 m aukščio virš upės vandens lygio. Šios terasos suformuotos vėlyvojo ledynmečio pabaigoje – holoceno pradžioje. Terasinių aikštelių paviršiai bemaž lygūs, su nežymiais pakilimais ir įlinkimais. XX a. 7 dešimtmečio pradžioje apie pusė gyvenvietės teritorijos buvo apsodinta pušimis, o likusi dalis naudota kaip pieva ir arimas. Ažutakio senovės gyvenvietė priskirtina smėlinių gyvenviečių tipui. Ją autorius rado 2007 m., vykdydamas privataus žemės sklypo žvalgomuosius tyrimus (sklypas patenka į Pailgės ir Ažutakio pilkapynų apsaugos zoną). Tada ištirta 13 įvairaus dydžio šurfų, iš viso apie 20 m2 dydžio plotas (žr. ATL 2007 metais, V., 2008, p. 485–487). Gyvenvietės teritorija yra maždaug 130–160 x 50–80 m dydžio, besidriekianti išilgai upės pakrantės ir vietinio keliuko. Gyvenvietės Š dalį R–V kryptimi kerta buvusios senvagės loma, kuri ypač išraiškinga sklypo R pusėje. 2008 m. archeologinių tyrimų metu ištirtas apie 200 m2 dydžio plotas, patenkantis po būsimų pastatų vietomis. Kadangi vieno būsimų pastatų vieta iki galo liko neištirta, šiame straipsnyje aptarsime tik vieną plačiau tirtą plotą, apimantį 180 m2 [p. 28].

ENThe excavation of Ažutakis old settlement (Švenčionys District, Pabradė Municipality) began in 2008. The settlement was founded on the left bank of the Žeimena on the sandy – gravelly first terrace above the floodplain and on the floodplain, which is up to 1–4 m above the river’s water level. The Ažutakis old settlement should be attributed to the sandy soil settlement type. The settlement’s territory is approximately 130–160 x 50–80 m. In 2008 about 180 m2 was excavated at the site of a future building in the N part of the settlement beside an old bed. The general thickness of the investigated horizon was 0.3–1.2 m, except the old bed in the N part of the settlement where it was up to 1.5–1.9 deep. The investigated area was distinguished by an especially complex stratigraphy; during the investigation perhaps all of the possible geological deposits were encountered. It was determined that no cultural layer existed in the investigated area (except on the S edge) because it could not form here due to the steep slope and intense erosion. This site is identified as a fairly steep segment of the river bank and the side of the riverbed. In addition, a shelf, which was once the edge of the former river bank and which drops about 1 m in the relief, crops out as a longitudinal horizon under the ploughed soil in the central part of the investigated area. Thus all of the lithological layers with archaeological finds should be treated as cultural horizons. Some of the finds found their way into them in prehistoric times through people living nearby, others through erosion: when a cultural layer that existed higher up was washed down by rain or flood waters, etc., but this was not an inhabited area with a typical surviving cultural layer. A total of about 1800 flint – lithic finds were discovered. The majority of the flint inventory consisted of flakes and blades of various sizes.Both fairly whole and well used single platform cores (conical, handle) were discovered. A large number of various artefacts were also found: microliths (inserts, lancets, trapezes), flake arrowheads, scrapers, burins, knives, borers / awls, special purpose artefacts, undetermined artefact fragments, etc. During the investigation about 150 ceramic artefacts were discovered in the upper horizons of the trenches. The majority of them consist of hand built and wheel thrown – partly thrown pottery sherds, the absolute majority of which are fairly small. The hand built pottery mostly has smooth or brushed surfaces. Few sherds of exceptional vessel parts (rims, necks, and bottoms) were found. Tens of unique black – dark grey high fired sherds with smooth surfaces are distinguishable from the others. The discovered rim sherds were form I with a flattened lip. Below the rim they were decorated with seeming comb ornament, while the lip itself had a wavy line. The sherds with a wheel thrown – partly thrown surface are somewhat thicker. Some are decorated with a wavy band, others covered with brown glaze. The finds of this type date to the 15th – first half of the 20th century and should be attributed to a post-medieval village site. All the metal artefacts, including the hand forged, badly rusted iron nails of various sizes that were discovered in abundance, should also belong to this habitation horizon.During the investigation, not only flint but also osteological finds: animal bone and horn fragments were discovered in the aquiferous old beds. The cultural horizon in the investigated area is not chronologically ‘clean’. On the basis of the typological and chronological criteria for the discovered finds, it is possible to distinguish at least three major settlement stages: Stone Age (7th–3rd millennium BC; Kunda – Narva culture), Early Metal Period (2nd–1st millennium BC; Trzciniec culture group and the Brushed Pottery culture), and 15th – first half of the 20th century.