Klaipėdos universitetas

The elk staff is a characteristic Stone Age artefact from the Baltic region. The most elegant specimens have been found in the Olenij Ostrov burial site and various Stone Age sites in Šventoji. In 2016, the use-wear of artefacts found in the Stone Age sites of Šventoji was studied microscopically under a magnification factor of 690. The research effort also resulted in the successful dating of one of the staves found at the third archaeological site of Šventoji. The article presents the results and findings of the study, supplementing what is already known about the artefacts.

A settlement was established by English merchants in Šventoji in the second half of the 17th century. The rich collection of artefacts and historic documents distinctly suggests the daily life of merchants. In this paper, the artefacts are assessed as indicators of the cultural and personal identity. Most of the finds were imported, and not locally produced. Their provenance, if possible, was identified and associated with manufacturing centres by using a comparative method. Ceramic dishes, glass vessels and cutlery represent merchants’ dining traditions and habits, while personal belongings can be associated with the presentation of social status or individual expression.

The Early Bronze Age in Lithuania, and especially the final part, saw the most important changes in the structure of the