Porani ancient cemetery
The ancient graves of Porans or Purans were discovered in the archaeological excavations carried out by B.Nermans in 1929, when more than 50 burial mounds were listed. Unfortunately, almost all burials were more or less destroyed, so we managed to study 6, which were found to be from the 7th-9th centuries. Scandinavian fireplaces.
Helmets, parts of a single-edged sword and shield, bronze buckle, horseshoe pin with bent ends, pieces of bone combs, fragments of rimless pottery, flint, etc. were found in men's graves. Glass beads, bronze vessels, fish head-shaped charms, comb fragments, rimless vessel fragments, etc. were found in women's graves. A very rare and ancient find are two burnt pieces of bread.
Porani ancient cemetery is located ~ 1.2 km north of Grobiņa town, on the west side of the Grobiņa-Porani road. The mounds are located in a relatively small forest, where trenches were created during the Second World War.
Grobiņa archaeological ensemble consists of several archaeological monuments of the same period: Grobiņa castle hill (Skābarža hill) and the old town, Grobiņa medieval castle with bastions, Priediena ancient cemeteries, Atkalni ancient cemeteries, Smukumu ancient cemeteries and Porān (Pūrānu) ancient cemeteries, which are compactly located in Grobiņa and its immediate surroundings. These monuments mostly date from the 7th - 9th centuries. and are associated with an impressive Scandinavian colony, which was also mentioned as Seeburg (Jūrpils) in the 9th century. in written sources.
The archaeological ensemble of Grobiņa is authentic and very well preserved, mainly a collection of archaeological sites and structures from the Viking era. The richness and diversity of the material obtained in the archaeological excavations shows that Grobiņa was one of the most important places of the Viking world in the eastern part of the Baltic Sea. That is why the monuments of the Grobiņa archaeological ensemble are included in the transnational serial nomination "Places of the Viking Age in Northern Europe" for the UNESCO World Heritage List.