Pins are supposed to be one of the most favoured decorations among the Balts. They were used for deco-rative purposes from the end of the second millenium BC till the end of the 13th century AD. Almost all Baltic tribes wore them during the first centuries AD, but from the second half of the first millenium they had been worn only in the Samogitian, Semigallian, Curonian, Lettigalian, and Selonian tribes. Semigallians was one of the tribes which preserved the custom to fasten clothes with pins throughout the whole Iron Age. Mostly women fastened and at the same time decorated their clothing with pins; in rare cases pins are found in men's graves. The prevailing tradition was to use a pair of pins, joined by long chains; sometimes pendants were attached to pin-eyes. Such pins with pendants and chains comprised a uniform set of adornment. [...]

In 1994-1996 the Research Centre for Lithuanian Castles (headed by Vytautas Urbanavičius) excavated the bodies of people murdered in the KGB cellars and buried on the Tuskulėnai estate, the centre of Vilnius. An area of 67 000 square metres has been unearthed. It contained two burial pits with the remains of 706 people who had been shot dead. 32 pits with the remains of victims have been found in the formerly garage on the estate. The biggest pit held the remains of 154 people. Bodies of murdered people were dumped in 3 layers, covered with tarred paper and lime. Other pits held 18, 32, 89 of human remains. There were also separate graves on the Tuskulėnai estate. 113 unfortunate human beings were buried in the trench, the size of which 15x3 m and located at the edge of the territory pointed to the NW. Almost all people were sentenced to death by shooting at the back of their head. Control bullet holes could be clearly seen in the skulls, most frequently aimed at the forehead of the head. Some victims have managed to hide and to preserve personal articles - bone cigar-holders, pipers, combs, spoons, lockets (crosses), wedding-rings, pencils as well as a bottle from unevaporated perfume... A whole collection of buttons, mostly from underwear, was gathered, too. The most numerous finds - shoes have been thrown on the bodies, on the top of the pit. The State Security Department of Lithuania disclosed where, how and who performed an execution. Innocent people were condemned to death and shot in cellars of the KGB, in special place (room). The German army has withdrawn its troops from Lithuania, and professional KGB staff performed executions and thousands of innocent people were tortured to death or shot. Priests, a bishop, a burgomaster, students of high schools, teachers, innocent villagers - farmers, intelligentsia as well as the leaders and participants of the resistance movements have been shot dead. The age of the victims were determined by their teeth. Youths who had wisdom teeth and men of honourable age as well as invalids have been unearthed during the excavation works. Four women of 706 victims were also found in the pits of Tuskulėnai.

Straipsnyje nagrinėjamas rytų arba Dniepro baltų likimas po slavų genčių invazijos į Volgos-Okos ir Dniepro aukštupius. Aptariamos iki VI a. gyvavusios rytų baltų Bancerovo-Tušemlios, Moščino, Koločino kultūros, slavų atsiradimo rytiniame Baltų arealo pakraštyje istoriografija ir chronologija, charakteringiausi slavų kultūros bruožai.

Straipsnyje nagrinėjami naujausio Kaliningrado srities istorijos vadovėlio, pavadinto „Vakarų Rusijos istorija“ ir skirto V–VI klasių rusų mokyklų moksleiviams, teiginiai apie priešistorės laikų etninius ir socialinius procesus. Vadovėlio autoriaus G. Kretinino (Г. В. Kретинин) surikiuotas etninių procesų pagrįstumas svarstomas rusų, lenkų ir lietuvių archeologų darbų šviesoje.