Kaltinėnų kraštas XIV a. pabaigoje – XV a. pradžioje: istorinės geografijos bruožai
Kaltinėnai Region at the End of the 14th – Beginning of the 15th Centuries: features of historical geography

Summary/Abstract: The article’s object of investigation is Kaltinėnai region (valsčius – a small rural district) at the end of the 14th – beginning of the 15th centuries. The research is carried out on the basis of historical geography. This means that the territory of this administrative unit and its centre can be delineated on the basis of the distribution of archeological monuments and the information concerning the boundaries of the district presented in the descriptions of the Crusaders’ war routes. The research allows to claim that in the sources, which could be dated by 1371 when the region of Kaltinėnai was first mentioned, four other settlements, which most probably belonged to this region, are also mentioned: Kvesčiai (1385), Jaunodava (1395), Pašilė (1385), and so far unidentified “Megeten” (1419). The following physical geographical objects are also mentioned in the sources: the rivers Ančia, Yžnė, Raudys and Ašvija, the bridge across the Yžnė, the sacred wood Ašvietė and Krumpstas hill which has not been localized yet. The data amassed allowed the author to define approximate boundaries of Kaltinėnai as an administrative unit. In the North its territory could have extended till the banks of the river Raudys, in the North East – behind Pašilė, in the East – alongside the river Ančia. In the South East Kaltinėnai region could have extended till the present day Antininkai village while in the Southern and Southwestern direction the boundaries of this district could be delineated by the new Žemaičių highway; however, alongside the river Akmena the territory of Kaltinėnai could have extended further Southwest. In the West, the region could have ended behind Kvesčiai. The mountain of Medvėgalis could be considered as the North Western boundary of this district.

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