Tukums Chapel, Mortuary, Cemetery, Gallows, Big Hill

Already in 1869 Baltic German researcher A. Bielenstein indicated that the Tukums cemetary Hill (Kirchhofsberg) is to be considered the shrine of the nearby Tukums Hillfort. The hill and its individual parts have been described by different names over the time: Kapsētas (Cemetary), Kapellas (Chapel), Kapličas (Mortuary), Karātavu (Gallows) kalns (Hill), Lielais kalns (Big Hill) etc. The hill is situated in the W part of Tukums town, it is detached, oriented in the N –S direction, almost 1 km long – a distinct hill which has since long been used as a punishment and burial site. The hill is divided into two parts with a belt. Recently both sides of the hill in the belt were slightly pushed down; no traces of the cultural layer were found. The smaller N part of the hill is the so-called German Cemetary. This is the old cemetary of Tukums town which is now used just partly, however is looked after and maintained. The surface of the hill has been flattened. From here there is a view to the Tukums Hillfort, which lies almost half a kilometre westwards. To the S from the belt there is the biggest part of the hill where the Kalns Cemetary currently used by Tukums inhabitants has been arranged. This part of the cemetary has several elevations and from the hill the Tukums Hillfort can be viewed on one side as well as Tukums town centre with the church spire on the other side. There are legends on the Devil’s activities related to the hill. The situation that there are shrines close to the respective hillforts is rather common in Kurzeme and it is possible that also Tukums Cemetary Hill has once been the shrine of the Tukums Hillfort. The big size of the hill and its later modification – the cemetary arrangement and exploitation does not allow for more precise localization of the ancient shrine.