At the request of the visitors of our website www.partizanumemorialas.lt we provide insights from scientists and ethologists about the meaning of the Memorial Obelisk for the Lithuanian Partisans – the Lithuanian sword being embedded, and the unique traditions of honouring the Aistian (ancient Lithuanian) warriors – the graves being marked with vertically embedded arms: axes, spears and swords.
Archeologists DR. VYTAUTAS KAZAKEVIČIUS and DR. ARVYDAS MALONAITIS
We present the summary of the article by the researchers and archaeologists Dr. A. Malonaitis and Dr. V. Kazakevičius on the significance of guns vertically thrust into graves and cenotaphs:
‘Vertically thrust weapons: axes, spears and swords are associated with magic. It was thought that stabbing weapons were the most powerful, combining the two magical properties – metal and sharpness. When stabbing, their magical function is greatly enhanced as it pierces an enemy or an evil spirit.
The sword, vertically thrust onto the mound, has several more meanings: it marks a symbolic burial ground for the soldiers, honours those soldiers and commanders who showed extraordinary courage, and protects spirits of the dead. It is likely that a thrust weapon represents a soldier who has died or gone missing abroad.’
Thus, vertically mounted weapons were used to mark the symbolic burials of soldiers, to honour their memory and to protect their spirits from evil.
(see attached)
Vertically stuck swords in the Lithuanian Iron Age monuments’ <—- link
Ethnologist, administrator or ‘Alkas’ website JONAS VAIŠKŪNAS
(see attached)
‘Sword on the hill’ <—- link
Professor, ethnologist LIBERTAS KLIMKA
‘A sword stuck into a hill is as if protecting of the Motherland. By the way, it reminds also the Cross… The sword is stuck after the victorious battle into the sacred soil of Motherland, to clean the abominable designs of the enemy!’
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