Looduslikud pühapaigad kui jutupaigad Rambynase mäe näitel
Authors:   Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore, Lithuania, Kaniava Andrius 
Published: August 2022

This article presents different cases of Rambynas Hill in south-western Lithuania. The first one discusses Rambynas Hill as a pagan sacred site. Sporadic mentions in written historical sources do not paint a clear picture of the place and of how it was used in pre-Christian times. Nevertheless, early mentions of Rambynas from as early as the 13th century confirm that the place was indeed significant at the time. No high-profile archaeological excavations ever took place at Rambynas and this limits our understanding of the place in the prehistoric context. Unfortunately, the most important part of the hill collapsed into the Nemunas River in the 19th century, which suggests that any future archaeological expeditions would probably be unavailing. Folklore remains the main source for understanding Rambynas’ importance as a sacred site, while some folktales are presumably of pagan origin. The cult stone on top of Rambynas, last seen in the late 19th century, also suggests that the place was a kind of pagan sacred site. However, its origins could not be verified because the stone was destroyed. It is important to note that despite the lack of additional data in some cases, Rambynas Hill is one of the best-documented and best-known sacred sites in Lithuania. The second case of Rambynas Hill demonstrates how the place regained its fame and importance at the beginning of the 20th century, at the time of creating national identity in Lithuania Minor. Rambynas became the pinnacle of the joint historical narrative between the inhabitants of Lithuania Minor and Lithuania Major in order to further include the former to the newly formed independent country. Rambynas also became the centre of summer solstice celebrations that grew larger with every year during the 1920s and 1930s. For these celebrations a local figure, Martynas Jankus, started The Eternal Book of Rambynas, where people wrote down their experiences of the place. This book represents the third case of Rambynas and is comprised of short writings from different people inspired by their immediate experience. It presents the main topics that were important for people visiting Rambynas Hill and also shows how the place was successfully re-storied in the 20th century and regained its fame as a sacred site of now romanticized pre-Christian religion, despite the fact that it had not been practiced for a few hundred years. The Eternal Book of Rambynas reveals a more personal approach, even though still highly influenced by collective ideas. It does not elaborate on each case of personal experience due to the limited scope of the records. The last case presented in this article discusses Rambynas as part of personal lifeworld, revealed in the memories of a local villager Elena Grigolaitytė. Her experiences are recorded in a short book titled Rojaus Kelias, in which the woman summarizes her life in Bitėnai village close to Rambynas Hill. The case of Elena shows how the same place could be presented in a different light when viewed from a personal perspective of everyday life. All the cases presented in the article serve the purpose of showcasing the possibilities of studying sites as story-places. Research of ancient sacred sites in Lithuania is often limited by historical and ethnological data, and researchers try to include these places in pre-Christian narratives. Due to phenomenological approach, story-places allow to temporarily suspend these values and discuss these places as part of human experience and everyday life. However, the phenomenological approach works best as a part of complex research. Historical facts and written sources about the hill introduce Rambynas as a part of pre-Christian sacred site, probably important during prehistoric times and later in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Investigation carried out by the 19th and early 20th-century press, written memories, historic documents and other data introduce the modern restoration of Rambynas and how the hill functioned as a cultural and even political centre of Lithuania Minor. Lastly, by analysing records in The Eternal Book of Rambynas, folk stories about the place and personal memories, it is possible to understand how people were experiencing the place. This approach paints a complex picture of the place and, most importantly, does not automatically reject modern stories as irrelevant.