#pažinkmus – Inga Šildiajevaitė, archaeologist at the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. A conversation about seeing the museum “from the inside” and using knowledge from an unusual sport at work.
You’ve mentioned before that before working at the Museum, you were a loyal visitor. How has your perspective changed now that you know the Museum and its exhibitions from the inside?
Before starting my job at the Palace of the Grand Dukes, I used to visit quite often, I tried not to miss any exhibitions or events. It was (and still is!) one of my favorite museums in Lithuania. But now I’m no longer just a visitor – I contribute to the creative process. As an archaeologist, I see what the exhibitions and artifacts “hide” – how much teamwork, long-term research, and effort is needed to present history in an engaging and understandable way for visitors.
Inga, you've also refined your archaeology knowledge abroad. Which country's excavations made the biggest impression: Poland or Germany? Or is it best at home, in Lithuania?
While studying, I actively participated in archaeological excavations in Lithuania, but I also had the chance to go abroad. In Germany, I took part in the exploration of a Bronze Age settlement. Ironically, after a month of work, the most interesting artifacts were found on the very last day – right before we left the site (laughs). In Poland, I joined a two-week excavation in a medieval Teutonic Order city.
Although I’d recommend every archaeology student to experience excavations abroad, what stuck with me most were the digs in Lithuania, specifically at the site of the Great Synagogue of Vilnius. Those excavations stood out not only because of their significant findings but also due to the large, international research team and the innovative methods used.
You’ve been working at the Museum for a year now, yet you're often seen at various events. What does participating in something like Museum Night mean to you as an archaeologist?
Participating in events like Museum Night is not only a fun break from working behind a desk – it’s a reminder of why we do all this. Archaeology is a very individual profession, requiring a lot of focus, so interacting with visitors provides that vital human connection. It’s wonderful to see people interested in history, asking questions, and sometimes even sharing surprising insights of their own.
In those moments, all doubts disappear – “Is anyone actually interested in our past?”. All it takes is one curious question or a visitor’s amazed smile to realize: yes, they are. And deeply so.
I truly believe it’s beneficial for every museum specialist to engage with visitors. It helps us better understand what they enjoy most, what they feel is missing from exhibitions. After all, the visitors are the key participants and judges of our work.
In your free time, you practice an unusual sport – shooting. How did you get into it?
In my free time, I do practical shooting and compete in tournaments both in Lithuania and abroad. I get that it may seem like an unexpected hobby to some, but it’s very close to me. My father and brothers were also shooters and champions in the sport, so from a young age I’d watch them come home from competitions with medals – I wanted those too (laughs).
I’ve been practicing shooting for over 10 years now. I’ve won quite a few awards and was once the Lithuanian champion. But today, it’s no longer about the medals – it’s about enjoying the process, every training session, every competition.
This hobby sometimes spills into my professional life too. Right now, together with my colleague Mantvidas Mieliauskas, we’re preparing a “Savaitės eksponatas” about a late 19th-century revolver found on the palace grounds, which is now displayed in the Museum’s permanent exhibition.
You mentioned the permanent exhibition – do you have a favorite artifact that you think everyone should know about?
My favorite object in the museum is a small lead plaque from the 13th–14th century, inscribed with mysterious text. What makes it special is that the writing on it has not yet been deciphered. Some have even speculated – did Lithuanians have their own script long ago? Could this be the first trace of it? Nothing like this has ever been found in Lithuania before.
To me, the whole story is mysteriously charming. I imagine the artisan engraving symbols into the plaque – could he have known this would one day become a true puzzle for future specialists? Or maybe that was exactly his intention? The first Lithuanian “prank”?
This artifact always reminds me of the famous Phaistos Disc found in Crete – one of the most mysterious archaeological finds in the world. Maybe we should organize a public “deciphering contest”?
Thank you for the conversation!
