Porāni (Pūrāni) burial mound site

Grobiņas pagasts, Dienvidkurzemes novads

Porāni (Pūrāni) burial mound site is located on the northern edge of the town centre of Grobiņa. The surrounding landscape of the Porāni burial ground has been transformed by economic activity. The Porāni burial ground consists of about 30 burial mounds. Visual signs of the burial mounds have largely been lost and at the present thay are marked by slight elevations. Excavations have revealed that the burial mounds are cremation graves in which the ashes of the deceased, accompanied by grave goods, were laid to rest under the central section of the mound. The finds and the style of the burials are typical of Scandinavian burial grounds of the time. Based on the finds typology of the artefacts accompanying the deceased, the burial ground`s period of use is dated to the 7yh - 9th century.

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.