Regional Formation and Development Studies

Metal spoons from archaeological excavations in Lithuania are a rare find. Therefore, no research has been done on their shape, chronology or provenance. The aim of this article is to identify what types of metal spoons were owned by the residents of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, whether the spoons were imported or produced locally, and whether the western European spoon trends had any influence on the material culture of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Only 19 spoons from the archaeology collection of the National Museum of Lithuania are attributed to the 14th–18th centuries. A morphological typology based on the spoons’ finials and handles was chosen in the current study. The first type is a spoon with a hexagonal ball finial from the second half of the 14th century. The other five types of spoons, from the second half of the 16th century and the 17th century, are characterised by a strawberry-shaped finial, an apostle figure, a twisted handle, a flat handle, and a hexagonal handle, respectively. The last type — a spoon with a rounded top — belongs to the end of the 17th century and the18th century. The spoon types and their chronology correspond to the types of spoons produced in northern, western and central Europe during the same period. This indicates that residents of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania not only followed the trends of the European cutlery fashion but also reacted promptly to changes. Although there is insufficient data to say with certainty whether non-precious metal spoons were produced in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, it can be shown at least that the goldsmiths there produced silver

Youth unemployment, especially long-term unemployment, is one of Europe’s most pressing problems to deal with. In the current economic and financial crisis, the lack of job opportunities has affected young people more than any other group in society. Consequently, young people are faced with social problems, they cannot successfully integrate into the labour market to ensure their future stability and build their life in the future. The paper deals with legal and institutional frameworks of youth unemployment and social integration as well as makes a discussion on the survey results regarding young people integration into the labour market. It is important to identify the key regulative framework of legislative and planning documents and to understand their importance with regard to youth unemployment regulation and a contribution to unemployment reduction.

Unemployment stands out as a major concern of policy makers, particularly in the case of youth unemployment. We intend to depict the reality of youth unemployment among university graduates in the Guar Municipality, as well as ascertain the possible causes and consequences of the phenomenon. We also aim to give some recommendations for decisions makers, so that these young people would take up residence in this region, which suffers from aging and depopulation issues. The main respondents of a questionnaire reported that it is not easy to get a job in a depressed area, i.e., the Guar Municipality, because labour supply has been reduced due to the closure of industries and companies in traditional sectors and to the lack of incentives for people and companies to take up residence in the area.

Typology is a rich strand of biblical interpretation, present in both the Old and New Testaments. It reveals the deepest truth about Jesus Christ as the Merciful Saviour. Biblical typology illuminates the consistent fulfilment of God’s salvatory plan. This article depicts the story of Joseph, son of Israel, from the Old Testament as a prototype of forgiveness corresponding to Jesus Christ’s forgiving and salvatory activity in the New Testament. The parallel between Joseph and Jesus displays the development of forgiveness in the stories of the Old and New Testaments. This article presents fourteen typological parallels between Joseph and Jesus revealing the course of salvatory forgiveness.