Baltiņi Devil’s Lap – stone layer – Ancientsites / Senvietas

Description

Baltiņi Devil’s Lap is an ancient graveyard elevation with a stone ring dating back to the early iron age (2nd-4th cent.). At Baltiņi homestead on Ērgļi side there is another similar burial elevation. The former hill (average diametre 15 m, height around 1 m) is situated on the side of the former field, now it has overgrown with deciduous trees and bushes. Right to the NE from it the swampy valley the Nāruža River starts. The hill is marked by a rather big oak-tree (circumference 3.18 m) which grows on the SW side of the hill. On the hill there is also a rather big birch-tree and other deciduous trees and hazels. The hill is surrounded by stones which have partly sunk into the ground or their heaps which have been collected from the former nearby fields. The vicinity of the hill where archeological artefacts are reported to have been found is starting to overgrow with bushes and trees. In the legends the Devil’s Lap is connected with the Nāruža Devil’s Ravine which lies 300 m NW in a straight line from the Devil’s Lap. The Baltiņi Devil’s Lap together with other Devil’s places form an original sacral scenery.

Location

Koordinātas: 56.9323, 25.53458

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Comments

On this road after 3 km at a side of the country round there is another saying “Velna klēpis”, however, there are no other directions and the finding of the site is complicated if no other information is obtained. The accidentally met wood sawers said that to find the Devil’s Lap one should walk some 200 m along a hardly visible path. When walking along the indicated path it finished with unmown grass in an overgrown field. Later it was understood that what was meant by the sign “Velna klēpis” is the Devil’s Ditch or the stony valley of the Nāruža River. Nevertheless, the Devil’s Lap is a different place which can be easier found from the side of Spiļvas homestead although the hummock has once been oriented by Baltiņi homestead which is now located in Ērgļi parish. Spiļvas homestead is not populated currently although some years ago a new house was built from white silicon bricks. From the side of Spiļvas homestead the visitor will also have to cross underbrush and fields with unmowed grass. (I approached the Devil’s Lap by pushing my way through underbrush, nettles and fields with unmowed grass from the side of the sign “Velna klēpis”.) The fact that there are no direct signs leading to the site in this case is good because it protects the little-disturbed ancient site against the vandalism of treasury seekers. In the oak growing at the side of the Devil’s Lap the device for catching bee swarms was hanged and a rotten ladder leaned against the oak.

Photo, video

Archive of the “Cult Identity” project