„Pre-Christian Lithuania”, from the collection "Majestic Lithuania".
Obverse, reverse, silver-plated copper, electrotype, Ø 19 cm, gold-plated copper, Ø 38,6 mm. 2014.
Struck by St Pauls mint in 2014. Distributor of the collection: www.MonetuNamai.lt.
A glance into our ancestral faith makes us rethink about today's human values, how people have detached themselves from its creator - the nature. So with this medal I invite you to glimpse at a ritual of an archaic Baltic religion, full of spiritualism, symbols and mystery.
This medal depicts an offering scene: around the mighty oak, surrounded by a crowd of worshipers a sacrificial offering is been held. In front of the oak towards the sky an altar flames rises high, the sound of the burning fire is perpetrated with the ceremonial speech of the priest (krivis), meanwhile the ruler (kunidi) holds an animal sacrifice . Before the christianisation, Lithuanian rulers had a status of the highest spiritual leaders, they were called Kunidi. At the bottom of the composition, curls a snake - a symbol of life. On the trunk of the oak there's a symbol Algis, meaning the tree of life.
Lina Kalinauskaitė