Lithuanian nation rose in VII – XI centuries A.C. from Baltic nations group. Balts, the ancestors of Lithuanians and Latvians, had arrived to territories between Dnepr, Daugava rivers and the Baltic see from hypothetic Indo-European original homeland. Many scientists date this arrival to 3 millenary B.C.

We may only suppose, that Balts, which had been arrived with the main wave of Indo-Europeans, were not included in forming processes or later Indo-European nations in South and Western Europe. Balts stayed away from this development, and their culture preserved primeval features of Indo-European culture for long time. When, later, contacts with new-formed European nations increased, differences between this primary (not without some evolutionary changes, anyway) culture and culture of new Indo-European nations in Europe were on such level, that closer cultural interchange was quite impossible. This allowed to preserve cultural differences from last Europe and caused isolation (or, maybe, self-isolation) of Balts.

After Goths domination times in Europe, we can find vestiges of Balts in more restricted territory between Wisla and Daugava rivers. It's hard to say anything concrete about their cultural isolation level in these times, but it was likely decreasing. However Balts conserved forms of ancient Indo-European parent-language till much later times.

The most archaic language forms were presented by western Balts, which lived approximatly in territory of later Prussia (Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia and north-west Poland presently). These dialects developed into Old Prussian language, which was extinguished finally in the beginning of XVIII century A.C.

The eastern Balts had less archaic forms of language, having vestiges of some popular-style simplifications (decreasing number of verbal forms and so on), which presumably were made when ancient cultural elite lost his influence over the people. It may take place , for example, in times of "barbarian" invasions and not later then the VIII century A.C. Later, eastern dialects of Balts developed into Lithuanian and Latvian languages, existing either now.

The knowledge about Balts cultural life of these times is very stingy. We know, that Balts reached the end of this period having society forms, comparable with ones of Celtic people in South-West Europe in II-I centuries B.C. (it doesn't concerns economical processes, which were different and much adopted to European trade and manufacturing level of X century A.C.).

In X century A.C. Balts had variegated religious life with various forms of cult servants and their communities. Exclusive feature of Balts' culture was willful avoiding of usage of material attainments in their religious life. Not only some more complicated forms of cult architecture or equipment (maybe even, including holy statues, what is under doubt), but even literacy were denied, even when these things were allowed by economical level and well-known from other, mostly neighbouring, nations. Religious life was concentrated on verbal tradition and singing, maybe, with some elements of mystery theatre. Material forms of this life were closely connected with unsophisticated wooden shrines, nature objects (trees, stones, etc.), special ornamented vestments and their accessories, and, maybe, small detailing in shrines.

But it's quite impossible to give more detail picture of Balts' cultural life in this period, because of mentioned cultural isolation and absence of written tradition.

Sometimes historians attribute the name “Lithuania” of this period only to one of eastern Balts' tribes. But there are facts, contradictory to it, too. It's better to say, that we don't know, in what political circumstances Lithuanians acquired their common name, and whether it took place before the beginning of XI century, when the name was first mentioned, or later.

It's also under question, what level of organization was reached in cooperation of Balts' tribes. Traditionally it's spoken about religious-based union of Balts.

Speaking about religious unity of Balts, we also can find some mostly considered points. Firstly, we can speak about existence of centers of religious life (named Romuva, using present-day variant of this word), concentrated around more significant shrines or holy or mystic areas. We can also speak about influence of religion servants of these centers to ones of other, not central, shrines, which influence was based more on authority than on some structural forms of organization. And finally, there are some historical data, allowing to speak about the main religious centre of all Balts.

The level of organization and extent of this religiuos cooperation are under discussion. For example, some historians argue, that union was more local and included only southern Balts (Lithuanians and Prussians), but Northern Balts (ancestors of Latvians) did not participate in it.

And, speaking about religious unity, we must remember, that concerning of this problem is influenced by later Lithuanian and Latvian myths and isn't strongly based on historical sources and data of archeology researches.

The new point of distinguishing of Balts' nations and their cultural development was occupation of significant part of the land by catholic military orders in the XIII century. The main areas of Western Balts, known under a name of Prussia, were occupied by Teutonic order. Livonian order occupied northern territories, beginning from ones around Riga gulf, creating so-called Livonia.

This way, later cultural development of these two and the third unoccupied part of Balts areas was different. Old Prussians (Balts) never regain as nation, but the Latvian nation was formed in Livonia. The third unoccupied part was a basis for Lithuanian nation to form.

The outer aggression forced Baltic nations to form more strict institutions of political life. Lithuanian state, Lithuania, was founded in XIII century and it included regions of still unoccupied Eastern Balts and remains of Western Balts' areas (These Western Balts' ethnic groups are known under names Jotvingiai or Jatvezi and Sūduviai.

In the middle of XIV century, Lithuania emerged as big East Europe state with former Kievan Rus' and some Russian regions in North to it (approximately present Belarus) included. The fact of expansion shows a great political potential of Lithuanian ruling classes, and this potential couldn't be reached without respective cultural basis.

The fact, that christian Russian rulers became some kind of vassals of non-christian Lithuanian rulers is impressive, but culturally the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (G.D.L.) remained bipolar. It consisted of non-christian Lithuanian part in North-West (later known as Lituania Propria) and Eastern christian orthodox Russian regions (partial Duchies).

The price of cooperation and recognition of “pagan” dominance by Russian Orthodoxes in G.D.L. was recognition of wide cultural rights for orthodoxes. These rights included, for example, custom, that Lithuanian duke had to be christened before taking office in a partial duchy in orthodox part. Wives of Lithuanian dukes, if they were Russians, stayed orthodox, but Grand Duke on that case had to ensure possibilities of his wife to perform orthodox rites and take part in orthodox service. Children of orthodox duchesses officially became observers of their father religion, old-Lithuanian one in our case. But in reality the religion of mother could have some (sometimes great) influence.