USHACHI DISTRICT, 8 August (BelTA) - Archaeologists and volunteers have unearthed fragments of a countryside residence of Polotsk princes dating back to the 12th century on the shores of Lake Cherstvyaty in Ushachi District, BelTA has learned.
The archaeological expedition started three weeks ago and already found the fragments of a countryside residence of Polotsk princes dating back to the 12th century. Some time ago historian Vasily Voronin suggested a hypothesis that the lands and courtyards of the Polotsk voivode of the 16th century could be a princely legacy of the earlier periods. “We have just found evidence that there was princely ancestral property. We found an exact location but similar buildings are in other locations in this area,” said Ph.D. in History Marat Klimov, a senior researcher at the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.
In the first excavation area the archaeologists discovered fragments of household structures. Now they are working on the second excavation site where they have dug fragments of an oven, a book clasp of the 12th century, an arrowhead, ceramics. All this shows that a noble family lived and vacationed there.
“This is the first time in Belarus' history that fragments of a countryside residence have been found beyond city limits . We cannot say who of the princes lived here. Theoretically, it could be Vseslav the Sorcerer,” Marat Klimov said.
The princely residence might have been set on fire during a feud time. Human remains were found. It is yet unknown what period they belong to.
