The Oak of Šaukšteliškiai
The oak of Šaukšteliškiai, growing in the district of Molėtai, was named after the name of the village. A huge and mighty tree is easily distinguishable from all other surrounding deciduous trees. This oak is the sixth in size in Lithuania. It would take five men to embrace its thick trunk. The extent of the trunk reaches more than 5 meters. The oak could boast for its age as well. It counts even 600 years.
The ancient Baltic people used to consider the oaks to be sacred. A sacred flame used to be kept under oaks, and sacrifices used to be made for the gods manifesting in the oak, mostly to Perkūnas. It was believed that thunder never strikes nor hits the oak. Oaks used to be planted by the buildings as lighting protection. In order to protect themselves from the lighting, people used to place the branches of an oak under trusses of the cottages.
The oak of Šaukšteliškiai spreading its mighty branches upwards can be found in the district of Molėtai, in the village of Šaukšteliškiai, passing through the south shoreline of the lake Bebrusai.
