SAMANOS (MOSS)

A Festival of the Ancient, visited by Antanas Smetona himself, the President of Lithuania. That’s how residents of the town of Merkinė remember the Days of the Ancient, which were held in the pre-World War II period. The celebration held in the interwar period now returns with a new, symbolic name, SAMANOS (MOSS).

Merkinės fabrikas welcomes locals and visitors alike to lectures, concerts, excursions, skywatching and the tasting of ancient dishes brought back to life according to the findings of archaeologists.

PROGRAMME

19 August | FRIDAY

Location: Merkinės fabrikas (Gardino g. 28)

· 16.00–20.00 Pasaulio puodai presents the ancient cuisine of the Merkinė area

· 16.00–17.00 Lecture “About people, fish and mushrooms. Merkinė’s everyday life in the first half of the 18th century” and book presentation “Diary of Merkinė elder Antanas Kazimieras Sapiega, 1722–1729” | Dr. Jolita Sarcevičienė (Lithuanian Institute of History)

· 18.00–19.00 Creative crafts workshops: ceramics “Riddles in clay”, leather-bracelet weaving

· 18.00–20.00 Secrets of the old crafts | Experimental archaeology club “Pajauta”

· 20.00–22.00 Concert | “Sidabro” and “Atalyja”

20 August | SATURDAY

Location: Merkinė square (S. Dariaus ir S. Girėno a. 1)

· 10.00–17.00 Market

· 12.00–14.00 Concert | Merkinė’s legends Kęstutis Kaupinis and performer Ligitas Kernagis | organised by Merkinė town community

Location: Merkinės fabrikas (Gardino g. 28)

· 12.00–20.00 Pasaulio puodai presents the ancient cuisine of the Merkinė area

· 12.00–20.00 Secrets of the old crafts | Experimental archaeology club “Pajauta”

· 12.00–13.00 Lecture “Cuisine of Lithuania’s hill-forts on the modern-day dining table” | Prof. Dr. Rimvydas Laužikas

· 13.00–14.00 Lecture “Bioarchaeology” | Assoc. Prof. Dr. Giedrė Motuzaitė – Keen

· 14.00–15.00 Book presentation: “The city of Merkinė and the surrounding area in historical cartography” | Book compiler historian Žygimantas Buržinskas (Museum of the Merkinė Region)

· 18.00–19.00 Creative crafts workshops: ceramics “Riddles in clay”, leather-bracelet weaving

· 20.00–22.00 Concert | “Andaja” and “Žalvarinis”

Lithuanian Museum of Ethnocosmology programme

· 12.00–14.00 Observing the Sun by telescope | Merkinės fabrikas

· 15.00–16.30 Visiting the Jonionys stones | Lecturers Martynas Juocevičius and Mindaugas Beresnevičius | Excursion begins from Merkinės fabrikas, Gardino g. 28

· 22.00–24.00 Observing the night sky by telescope | Merkinė hill-fort

During the programme, there will be an opportunity to hold meteoric material in your hands (Sikhote-Alin meteoric iron).

* Programme content, time and duration may be changed according to weather conditions.

21 August | SUNDAY

Location: Merkinė river landing

· 14.00 Shipping in Merkinė – presentation of the vytinė (a flat-bottomed riverboat used on the Nemunas) and luotas (dugout) | Simas Knapkis and the culture club “Kitaip”

Location: Merkinė square (S. Dariaus ir S. Girėno a. 1)

· 10.00–16.00 Market

Location: Church of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary

· 11.30 Feast of St Roch and concert | Violinist Barbora Valiukevičiūtė, choir “Merkinė”, Laimonas Pautienius

Location: Merkinės fabrikas (Gardino g. 28)

· 12.00–18.00 Pasaulio puodai presents the ancient cuisine of the Merkinė area

During the festival, the vytinė (a flat-bottomed riverboat used on the Nemunas) will be on display at the Merkinė Nemunas river landing.

Registration for the open-air market:

For folk artists, call tel. 8 661 09545

For traders, call tel. 8 616 18592