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The Balts, who are believed to have arrived with the main wave of Indo-Europeans, were unconnected with the formation of later Indo-European nations in [[Southern Europe|Southern]] and [[Western Europe]]. Thus, the Balts' culture is believed to have preserved primeval features of Indo-European culture for a longer time. When later contacts with newly formed European nations increased, differences between the Balts' primeval culture and the culture of the new European nations were so great that closer cultural interchange was difficult. This resulted in preservation of the Balts' Indo-European roots but may also have contributed to their isolation.
After the period of [[Goths|Gothic]] domination in Europe, the culture of the Balts appeared in a more restricted territory between the [[Wisla]] and Daugava rivers. Almost anything said about the Balts' cultural isolation level in these times is speculation, but it was likely decreasing. Still, the Balts conserved forms of ancient Indo-European [[proto-language]] until much later times. The most archaic language forms were preserved by the Western Balts, who lived approximately in the territory of later [[Prussia]] (today's [[Kaliningrad Oblast|Kaliningrad]] and north-west [[Poland]]). These dialects developed into [[Old Prussian language|Old Prussian]], which became [[Extinct language|extinct]] by the beginning of the 18th century.
The Eastern Balts had less archaic forms of language. For example, some popular simplifications took hold, such as a decrease in the number of verb forms, which presumably happened when the ancient cultural elite lost its influence over the people. It may have taken place, for example, in times of "[[barbarian]]" invasions (not later than the 8th century). Later, eastern dialects of Balts developed into the modern [[Lithuanian language|Lithuanian]] and [[Latvian language|Latvian]]
Knowledge about the Balts' cultural life in these times is scanty. It is known that Balts at the end of this period had a social structure comparable with that of [[Celts|Celtic]] people in South-West Europe during the 2nd—1st centuries BC.
In the 10th century, [[religion|religious]] life of the Balts was not unified, with various forms of [[cult]]s present. An important feature of Balt culture was willful avoidance of using material attainments in their religious life. Some more complicated forms of [[architecture]], equipment, and [[literacy]] were disapproved of, even when these things were allowed by and were well
==Period of the Lithuanian nation rising (10th – 14th centuries)==
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In this time, Lithuanians were getting acquainted with Western European culture and this process had interesting discoveries, which also caused later ruling political ideas. However, the process was not trivial. To become "educated in aristocratic manner" a Lithuanian had to learn at least three languages: [[Ruthenian language|Ruthenian]], [[Polish language|Polish]] and [[Latin]]. [[German language|German]] with variety of its dialects and [[Italian language|Italian]] were also used. In reality, this educational objective could not usually be realised, so knowledge of languages (and even cultural orientation) depended on estate of person. Priests and humanitarians learned Latin, merchants learnt German. Polish was preferred by the upper classes, but Ruthenian by the lower strata of nobles.
Since the end of the 14th century, Lithuanians began to study in [[university|universities]] abroad, mostly in [[Kraków]] and [[Prague]] Universities and, sometimes, in [[Western Europe]]an ones. Latin, being a church and humanitarian language, was studied by a number of Lithuanian citizens, mostly Catholics. Latin had a specific reason to be considered interesting for Lithuanian-speaking Lithuanians. Being acquainted with Latin language, Lithuanian humanitarians discovered great similarities between a large number of Lithuanian and Latin words, such as (Lithuanian words are given in their modern form) ''aušra – aurora'' (a dawn), ''dūmas – fumus'' (fume, smoke), ''mėnesis – mensis'' (a month), ''senis – senex'' (an old man) and so on. This paradoxical similarity was explained by raising an idea that
This idea, joined with one, maybe earlier, myth about modernized cultural hero ''[[Palemon]]'', treating him as a Latin language pioneer in earlier pre-Christian Lithuania, has a great influence to the political mindset of noble Lithuanians. It constricted an area of Lithuanian cultural independence, prescribing to Lithuanians affinity with Italics and showing Lithuanian culture as secondary, derivative and mixed. On the other hand, it stimulated patriotism, arguing that Lithuanian popular culture is more "Latin" than Polish and German cultures, so more cultured according to the thinking of that time. This theory raised the prestige of old Lithuania (thought of by neighbors as "pagan" and "barbarian") firstly in the eyes of Lithuanians themselves, and had the same effect on foreign people (especially Poles, who often treated their mediating in Lithuania's Christianization as their own cultural achievement against "eastern" or "pagan" "barbarism").
Despite using the existence of
On the other hand, not only Ruthenian, but Latin and Polish also narrowed
The loss of ethnic basis did not reduce patriotism among nobles. The variegate Lithuanian [[mythology]] of this time (legend about emigration of ''Palemon'' from Rome to Lithuania, legend about the founding of the capital of Lithuania [[Vilnius]] by Duke [[Gediminas, Duke of Lithuania|Gediminas]], and other pieces) had been presented in a spirit of high lucid and virtuous patriotism.
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===Printing of books===
Another cultural factor, not connected with the reformation directly, was printing of books. The first printed books reached Lithuania before the beginning of the Reformation. But multiplied religious discussions and the increase of printing in Western Europe both activated interest in printing books in Lithuania. The first book in
Presence of printed books became the signal factor to change ancient Lithuanian cultural attitude against [[literacy]]. The necessity of literacy became evident. But in G.D.L. at the same time the growing of literacy coincided with refusal of Lithuanian culture among the nobility.
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The second process, which took place after the end of the 16th century, was introduction of ideas of Christianity into the Lithuanian environment, using Lithuanian culture's symbols and traditions. This program was initiated by Jesuits (in [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania|G.D.L.]] only). The worship of various old religion holy essences was changed into cult of saints. On the other hand, traditional Catholic art forms of sacred objects were supplemented in Lithuania by some forms, which were comparable with ones, taken from old Lithuanian art ware. As the best example, traditional (both iron and wooden) crosses in present Lithuania, West Belarus and Northern Poland with raying sun and moon could be noted. In this case we can see old symbols still having symbolic (maybe different from pre-Christian times) sense too.
During this period, new forms were added to country art. Local craftsmen made (mostly wooden) statues of saints, chapels, wooden an iron crosses (statues and chapels often had well-seen prototypes, made by famous European artists, but there were also original ones). Till the 19th century it became a significant branch of Lithuanian country art, known and used also by urban people.
[[File:Dictionarium trium lingvarum in usum studiosae iuventutis (Dictionary of the Polish-Latin-Lithuanian languages) by Konstantinas Sirvydas, Vilnius, 1713 (2).jpg|thumb|left|181 px|''Dictionarium trium linguarum in usum studiosae juventutis'' by [[Sirvydas]]]]
This program of inculturation required a good knowledge of
So the short period during which Lithuanian-language culture was fostered by the [[Society of Jesus]] had positive effects.
After the middle of the 17th century, a moderate rise of Lithuanian-speaking culture took place. Politically it was the time of turmoils and wars. Despite
Lithuanian didn't gain official status then. Among various causes of it, some more significant must be emphasized. Firstly, the two biggest towns in [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania|G.D.L.]] were polonized earlier and more than other towns. Secondly, position of Catholic church in [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania|G.D.L.]] was favorable to Polish
As a result, the Lithuanian-speaking culture did not expand among the highest nobles. But some positive changes took place in this time too. The language was modernized, it was no longer a language of mere country people. Style of courtesy re-appeared in the language (some style of this kind had to exist in pre-Christian Lithuania). All this contributed to the existence of a Lithuanian-speaking culture among further generations of nobles and urban people. And these processes, going on only on a part of the territory of [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania|G.D.L.]], were a sign of a growing modern Lithuania.
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====Lithuanian-language culture in the Duchy of Prussia====
Lithuanians, mostly villagers, lived in the North and North-East regions of the [[Duchy of Prussia]]. This fact was confirmed later in administrative way, and administrative unit, called Lithuanian counties was created. Unofficially it was called Lithuania, Prussian Lithuania, or, in later times, also [[Lithuania Minor]]. In the beginning of the 16th century, Lithuanians in [[Prussia]] had the same cultural traditions as neighboring Lithuanians in [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania|G.D.L.]], and some inessential differences are not worth mentioning here.
[[File:
But later the cultural difference between Prussian Lithuania and Lithuanian part of [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania|G.D.L.]] increased. The main points of this process were: In 1530, Prussia became a secular Protestant state. So Prussian Lithuanians became Protestants (Lutherans), while Lithuanians in [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania|G.D.L.]] stayed Catholics. The next point was presence of some official attention to religious education in the native language in Prussia. At the beginning, after 1530, for this purpose the first secular ruler of Prussia, the duke [[Albert of Prussia|Albert]] invited a number of educated Lithuanians Protestants from [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania|G.D.L.]] They became senior priests in Prussian Lithuania and authors of church texts, holy songs in Lithuanian and their translations into Lithuanian, but one of them, [[Martynas Mažvydas]], wrote a catechism, which was published in 1547 in [[Königsberg]], becoming the first printed book in Lithuanian.
Since this time priests of Lithuanian parishes were obliged to know
The interest of Lutheran priests of Prussian Lithuanian parishes in Lithuanian
Catholic priests paid less attention towards Lithuanian popular traditions than Lutheran ones. Also the existence of [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania|G.D.L.]] had some influence to Prussian ruling persons and even put some pressure on them, and it did not allow disregarding of existing Lithuanians and their cultural needs. And the situation of Lithuanians was better, than, for example, the Old Prussian population, whose language was called "barbarian" and attained only minimal attention.
Despite good attention to
The later part of Middle Christian period from the end of the 17th century to the mid-19th century suffered a period of decline for the Grand duchy of Lithuania.
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| The middle of the 18th century
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| Lutheran priest of Tolminkiemis (German variant ''Tolmingkehm'') [[Kristijonas Donelaitis]] writes the first work of fiction in Lithuanian
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| Second half of the 18th century
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| 1818–1825
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| Prussian humanitarian (of Lithuanian origin) [[Ludwig Rhesa]] publishes poem ''Metai'' (''The Year'') by [[Kristijonas Donelaitis]](see this table above) (in 1818) and its translation
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| The middle of the 19th century
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| 1835–1841
| Lithuanian Pole [[Theodor Narbutt]] writes a wide, romantically colored ''History of Lithuania''. Being written in Polish
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| rowspan=2 | 1864–1904
| Russian authorities forbid public use of
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* Lithuanian leaders declare an independent Lithuanian state. They project new Lithuania only in ethnic territory, not extending to Belarusian areas. However, the transitional area between Lithuania and Belarus is partially Polish and its definition and status become disputed (see "[[Republic of Central Lithuania|Central Lithuania]]").
* Lithuanian
* Leaders of Lithuanian Poles do not agree with the new conception of Lithuania. Cultural and political contradictions suddenly become very sharp and all it leads to the Polish – Lithuanian conflict. (see "[[History of Lithuania]]", "[[Republic of Central Lithuania|Central Lithuania]]").
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