Christians in a Pagan Environment. Medieval Urban Cemeteries in Lithuania in the 13th and Early 15th Centuries

The 13th–15th centuries in Lithuania were a complex period of transition when Christianity replaced paganism. This period is particularly important in terms of changing funerary customs. It is unclear whether there was a direct link between Christianity and the spread of the tradition of inhumation. It is also not known when and how the Lithuanians ceased following the custom of cremation and began to practise inhumation and construct flat burials. Archaeological material from the first Lithuanian cities of Kernavė and Vilnius, where early burial sites have been investigated, plays an important role in the study of this period. Here, the deceased townspeople were buried according to Christian traditions even before the official baptism in 1387. This study raises important questions: who were the people buried according to Christian traditions in pagan lands under a pagan ruler? Why did the first medieval inhumation burials appear in cities? The most recent archaeological evidence is used for the discussion of possible reasons and circumstances for the emergence and existence of the inhumation tradition in pagan cities.