Archaeological research in Dviete floodplain during 2014

To find out, if restoration of Dviete river, planned within the LIFE+ project DVIETE, will not affect cultural layer of the sites of ancient settlements of the floodplain, mapping of these sites was carried out during the last summer and autumn. Research was leaded by Egita Ziediņa, the expert of State Inspection for Heritage Protection, Department of Archaeology and History. Equipment for field research of Daugavpils University (DU), Department of Chemistry and Geography was used, including a soil probe and a GPS receiver. Dāvis Gruberts, assistant professor of DU and Kristiāna Siliņa, 1st year master student in the field of environmental management, took part.

Soil probe and mapping of Grīva settlement took place on July 5-6 in order to detect borders of the cultural layer. 17 soil probes were made in total, and data on depth, thickness and dispersal of the cultural layer of the settlement obtained.

Similar research was carried out in Sloboda Stone Age settlement on September 27-28. According to the materials of expedition of 2002, this is a settlement of late Neolithic. 18 probes were made this autumn. Most interesting findings were remnants of the Floating Water-nut in one of the samples and features of two separate cultural layers in three samples, possibly indicating two different occupancy periods of the site. Interesting, that the oldest cultural layer is located directly on sand substratum, unaltered by soil processes and containing plant remnants. Possibly, this settlement is arranged in the site of ancient shoal within a wide, shallow lake.

State Inspection for Heritage Protection decided to include both ancient settlements in the List of state protected cultural heritage monuments on November 28.

There are sites, where the cultural layer of settlements is located close to the land surface, covering soil material is very loose and could be destroyed, if heavy equipment pass these sites. During the restoration of Dviete river these sites will be saved.

Dāvis Gruberts, Ilze Priedniece

05.01.2015.