Atkalni flat-grave burial site

Grobiņas pagasts, Dienvidkurzemes novads

Atkalni flat-grave burial site is located in the southeastern part of the town centre of Grobiņa, on the high ground on the bank of the river Ālande.

Excavations in 1988 revealed the earliest burial up to now found in Kurzeme - in more than 1 m depths a human skull has been found, and bones as well. Researchers believe that it was a woman about 20 - 25 years old. According to the evidence this burial is dated in 2000 years BC. Incredible, isn`t it?!

Grobiņa archaelogical ensemble consists of several archaelogical monuments of the same period: Grobiņa hillfort (Skābarža hill) and the ancient town, Grobiņa Medieval castle with bastions, Priediens ancient burial site, Porāni (Pūrāni) burial mound site, Smukumi flat-grave burial site, and Atkalni flat-grave burial site, which are located compactly in Grobiņa and its surroundings. These monuments mostly date back to the 7th - 9th centuries and they are related to the impressive Scandinavian settlement, which under the name Seeburg was mentioned in the 9th century written sources.

Grobiņa archaelogical ensemble is an authentic and very well preserved set of archaeological sites and structures, mainly from the Viking age. The amount and diversity of materials, gained in

archaeological excavations, show that at that time Grobiņa was one of the most important spots of the Viking world in the eastern part of the Baltic Sea. Therefore the sites of Grobiņa archaelogical ensemble are included in the transnational serial nomination "Viking age sites in northern Europe" to UNESCO`S world heritage list.