Archaeologists to investigate origin of remains found in Lazdijai

Human remains belonging to several dozen people, including children, were found during work to build a car park near Motiejus Gustaitis Gymnasium, a high school in Lazdijai. LRT reports that the fragments may have been brought there from elsewhere.

Archaeologists said it was too early to determine whether the remains belonged to partisans and their supporters or came from an old city cemetery. No objects were found with them.

Work on the car park has been halted because the site is in a historically sensitive setting, near a former NKVD headquarters and a church with a churchyard, Alius Baranauskas, a representative of the Department of Cultural Heritage, said.

The remains will be taken to the Faculty of Medicine at Vilnius University for anthropological examination. Archaeologist Ingrida Čičiurkaitė said an old cemetery was the more likely explanation, but there was no historical information about when it operated or how long it was in use. The remains had been disturbed and reburied, with no objects found, she said. She expected the number of people represented to exceed 20.

Archaeologists plan to return in spring to survey the construction site, examine the bottom of the car park excavation and look for the original burial place.