The oldest settlement in Lithuania and other Curonian tribe heritage
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Moving southeast 8 kilometers from Skuodas, Apuolė landscape and historic reserve is located there. Area 40 ha. The picturesque complex of hills of the Western Curonian land, the Apuolė mound, the oldest settlements in Lithuania, mentioned in 837 in historical sources, and remains of the ancient graveyard is stored in this geological reserve.
The Apuolė mound has been used since the beginning of our era until the 13th century. The mound belonged to the Curonians who built a wooden castle on it and dug a deep well. In the Chronicle of Rimbertas' "St. Auscharijaus gyvenimas" (IX century) mentions that Apuolė's residents successfully withstood the Danish attack. In 853 King Olaf of Sweden, with great force, attacked the village of Apuolė and the castle. After eight days of fighting, Apuolė's residents surrendered and accepted the Swedish government. According to Rimbertas, local defenders paid a huge ransom: Not only they gave back previously taken weapons and gold from danish, but also has added half a pound of silver ransom for every man in the castle. In 1229-1231 the Curonians, who did not form a state, were forced to recognize the government of Livonian Order. Ultimately enslaved in 1267 XV - XVII c. the southern Curonians merged with the Samogitians and with the northern ones – with Latvians
Excavations in Apuolė were carried out by Lithuanian, Latvian and Swedish archaeologists in 1928–1932. The findings are in the Kaunas History Museum.
Skuodas is surrounded by the mounds of Užluobė, Puodkaliai and Kubiliškė. Puodkaliai mound is one of the biggest Lithuanian mounds near Latvian border. Manors and villages were built near some mounds.
There is a mound on the left bank of the Šventoji, in the village of Kalimiai, eldership of Lenkimai. In 1793 near that mound, just away from the right bank of the river, in a nearby homestead Simonas Daukantas, a future Lithuanian historian and educator, was born and raised.
Skuodas - land of Curonians and Samogitians.
Juozas Vyšniauskas
