From June 13 to 15, the Turaida Museum Reserve will participate in the European Archaeology Days. This initiative, launched by the French Ministry of Culture and the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP), aims to share knowledge about archaeological heritage across Europe and make culture accessible to all.
📜 This year, the theme of Archaeology Days in Turaida is “Clothing.”
On June 13 at 11:00 AM, a seminar/discussion titled “Clothing and Identity” will take place at the Turaida granary.
📜 During the seminar, Gunta Deģe, M.A. in History and member of REAG “Senzeme”, will present a talk titled “From Dream to Reality – The Journey Toward a Livonian Archaeological Folk Costume.”
📜 Gunta says about herself: “I have been passionate about historical research and reconstruction for more than 25 years. That’s why I was one of the founders and activists of REAG ‘Senzeme’. My focus of interest is clothing, jewelry, and everyday life in Latvia and broader Western Europe—both in the Late Iron Age and the Middle Ages.”
📜 Her presentation, “From Dream to Reality – The Journey Toward a Livonian Archaeological Folk Costume,” is intended for those who are dreaming of creating their own folk costume, as well as for those who have already begun this fascinating yet complex journey.
📜 What approaches can be taken when assembling a folk costume depending on its intended use? How do you choose what exactly to make? Where can one find sources on clothing and matching jewelry once the decision has been made? What challenges might one face in the costume-making process?
📜 On the seminar day, attendees will also have the opportunity to view and try on replicas of Late Iron Age Latvian minority women’s costume components and jewelry from the “Senzeme” collection.
📜 We will invite leading experts on the topic to the seminar to discuss the significance of ancient clothing in shaping and recognizing cultural identity. The focus will be on the earliest inhabitants of the Turaida area, particularly the Livonians, whose culture dominated Turaida and its surroundings in the 11th–13th centuries.
📜 The goal of the discussion is to find answers to various questions and to inspire reflection on what is known today and to highlight what remains unknown. The seminar will explore archaeological research as one of the main avenues for studying Late Iron Age Livonian clothing, and consider whether there were differences in clothing traditions across Livonian-inhabited areas. We will look for answers regarding textile dyeing, jewelry, and other clothing elements, and also consider whether reconstruction of Livonian clothing is truly possible—or is it more about visualization?
📜 In the weeks leading up to the seminar, we will provide brief introductions to the invited speakers and their presentations.
