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The document discusses the early history of Lithuania and the use of a secret defense strategy called Kūlgrinda. Kūlgrindas were hidden underwater roads across swamps that were constructed by the ancient Lithuanians and provided safe passage between defensive structures. Undetectable from the surface, these roads were only known to locals and helped in defending against invaders like the Teutonic Knights. Remnants of Kūlgrindas still exist today, and some organizations offer excursions for people to experience traveling along the old secret paths through forests and swamps.
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- 2. Introduction First known habitation of Lithuania dates back to the final ice age, 10 000 BC. In 1009, the name of Lithuania was mentioned for the first time in the written account of the mission of St. Bruno.
- 3. Grand Duchy of Lithuania In the Middle Ages, Lithuania had already its state: the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. King Mindaugas became a Christian and received a crown from the Pope in 1253. After his death, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania fell back to pagan ways leading to a centuries-long conflict with Teutonic Knights. The adoption of Christianity by Grand Duke Jogaila (1387) and being the largest state in Europe (stretching from the Baltic to the Black Sea in the 15th century) did not stop the Teutonic knights.
- 4. Kūlgrinda Back to those times we would like to represent you one special Lithunian way fighting enemies – special secret roads Kūlgrinda
- 5. What is this? Kūlgrinda is a hidden underwater stony road across swamps and swampy areas used for defense in the history of Lithuania. Kūlgrindas provided a safe shortcut between villages, hillforts, and other defensive structures. They were built by bringing stones, wood, or gravel over frozen swamps in the winter and letting them sink once the ice melted. Such procedure would be repeated several times.
- 6. Secret paths These were the secret paths that the ancient Lithuanians rescued from the attackers who did not know the paths and which were very difficult to detect because the trails were under water. The place of the Kūlgrinda was kept secret, so he was severely punished for issuing it. Undetectable from the surface, these roads were usually known only to the locals, and as such were an important element of the defense against various invaders, including the Teutonic Knights in the 13–14th centuries.
- 7. Enemies were specially tucked into swamps, where they were lurking in the mouths of a treacherous depth, determined to swallow their victims, or rain of arrows released by defenders of Lithuanian lands.
- 8. Kūlgrindas today Today, the Burbiškės-Reistrų kūlgrinda, consists of 3 sections. The first passes through the Sietuva River itself. Its length is 250 m, width - 8 m (through the stream itself - up to 20 m). The other two go through adjacent swamps, their length is 180 and 150 m, width 3-4. All three segments are divided into almost one line, so it is believed that they are one of the remnants of the road, linking the defenders of Shauraičiai, Megvėgalis and Paršpilis castles.
- 9. Excursions throught the Kūldringa: There are some excursions for people who could like this: It's a path through the forest and swamp that is getting more and more viscous.
- 10. Swamp “tour” lasts over 2 hours. It is dirty, tired, but fun. And bathing in a cool stream dam recovers all the difficulties and remains the best memories and great experience. We have experienced that last summer. It was amazing.