The man burned alive for letting the sacred fire go out

Altoniškiai piliakalnis sits on a high terrace in the Kauno rajonas municipality, near the village of Altoniškių. The site features an oval courtyard measuring 27 by 18 metres, defended by a 1.5 metre high rampart and a 16 metre wide ditch. To the north, there is a terrace 30 metres wide, and the surrounding slopes are covered with mixed forest.

According to local legends, the gods Altonai kept an eternal fire on the hill and burned the sacrifices of young men. A tradition says that young men from the surrounding area used to gather under an oak tree on the summit to ask for the goddess's favor for their brides. Other tales speak of a nameless leader from a single clan buried there, or a white cat that turned into a spirit, and a large white horse that roared with a human voice, shaking the earth before vanishing.

One specific story tells of a man from Zapyškis who fell in love with a girl from Altoniškių. He neglected his duty to keep the sacred fire burning while visiting his sweetheart. When the fire went out, the people of Zapyškis caught the man and burned him alive on the altar to reignite the holy flame.

Today, the site remains an archaeological monument dating from the 1st millennium to the beginning of the 2nd millennium. Visitors can approach the site via a field path from the Rupinai–Jadagoniai–Pavilkijys–Kriūkai road, where the courtyard remains visible among the trees.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons