Hillfort Sites Research Articles

Textiles from the Ust-Voikary Hillfort Site (Based on Materials from 2012–2016 Excavations)

The article describes 366 samples of clothing (some of them attributable), collected in 2012–2016 from cultural layers of the 15th to middle 18th centuries at the Ust-Voikary hillfort site in the subarctic zone of Western Siberia. We provide technological characteristics: size, state of preservation, color, properties of threads and fibers, interlacing system, technological errors, cut, and traces of repair. Both animal and plant fibers are present, and plain and twill weaving are attested. Ethnographic and zoological data provide information on the textile technologies used by residents of the polar zone of Western Siberia, and allow us to compare them with those known from other sites. We conclude that types of textiles for clothing remained virtually the same from the 15th to the 18th centuries. Fabrics, mostly woolen, were imported.

LIDAR AND NEW DISCOVERIES OF HILLFORTS IN LATVIA

In the last four years, an explosion-like process of discovering new hillforts has been observed. This has been made possible due to the public availability of LIDAR relief maps and point-cloud data collected in the scanning process. This paper aims to describe the practical process of working with LIDAR data in discovering, describing and registering new hillforts, as well as look for answers to the question of why have so many hillforts (77 in the time from 2018 until 2021) only been discovered now and using remote sensing data. The paper gives an insight into the process of collaboration between professional archaeologists and history enthusiasts that spend countless hours going through LIDAR maps looking for relief transformations characteristic of hillforts. The result of this collaboration is an impressive number on new hillfort sites that change our views on settlement patterns and social processes in Latvian prehistory, especially in the Latgale region. This region has by far the highest number of new hillfort sites and it seems that the reasons for only discovering these hillforts with remote sensing data is related to the ethnic history of the region and the loss of hillfort folklore because of demographic and migration processes.

A Tauriscan Lt D obol from Lobor hillfort (Hrvatsko Zagorje, Croatia)


 
 
 A small silver coin complementary to the Augentyp-Stamm Tauriscan obols was found in controlled archaeological excavations at the Lobor hillfort. The hillfort was fortified in the late La Tène period (Lt D), which is also the most likely depositional context of the coin, since the site was clearly not occupied during the early imperial age. It can be assumed that the coin was produced in the earlier part of late La Tène (Lt D1), in accordance with the presently accepted chronology of Tauriscan coins. Similar obols were found at comparable hillfort sites in the Tauriscan area, but, due to their small number and lack of secure stratigraphic contextualization, this phenomenon is not easily explained in terms of commercial exchange.
 
 

On the Prospects of In Situ Conservation of Medicinal- and Aromatic-Plant Genetic Resources at Ancient-Hillfort Sites: A Case Study from Lithuania.

Twenty-three ancient-hillfort sites were investigated to evaluate the potential for the in situ conservation of medicinal- and aromatic-plant populations. An evaluation of the site's suitability was carried out by employing three major groups of criteria: species-specific, site-specific, and threat assessment. The species-specific criteria included the total species number, target species number, the cover-abundance of the target species estimated by mean Braun-Blanquet score, and, as an additional criterion, the number and cover-abundance of crop wild relatives. The site-specific criteria included site evaluation with respect to climatic region, the area size of a site, the habitat type, and the site's protection status. The threat assessment was focused on anthropogenic activities, such as recreational, agricultural, and others. The total number of vascular plant species inventoried was 264, including 82 species of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAP). There was a strong and highly significant correlation between the total and the MAP species numbers (rs = 0.77, p < 0.001), and the two most species-rich sites, Žuklijai and Pamiškė, contained the highest total and MAP species numbers. The investigated hillfort sites covered the populations of 49 species, or about 33% of the priority species list, with 5 or more populations. The most frequent species, Hypericum perforatum, occurred at 21 sites. The twenty-three hillfort sites represent three of the four climatic regions and six of the ten climatic subregions of Lithuania. Although these hillfort sites are quite small (1.24 ± 0.75 ha on average, without buffer zone), they are scattered across the country and are state-protected as archaeological objects, which makes them suitable for the in situ conservation of MAP genetic resources. In addition, seven hillfort sites (30.4% of the investigated ones) belong to the European network of special areas of conservation of habitats (Natura 2000), thus increasing their international importance. The threat assessment showed that anthropogenic activities (recreational, agricultural, etc.) are among the major factors affecting target-species populations.

Late Iron Age coins of the Đurđevac (Gjurgjevac) tradition from Kuzelin (southwestern Pannonia)

The Late Iron Age hillfort site of Kuzelin on Medvednica in south-western Pannonia has yielded a not negligible number of coins, most of which can be classified among the types that are traditionally labelled “Tauriscan”. A single coin can be categorized as an East Celtic type from Transdanubia, while two further coins were struck by pairs of dies that also occur in the Samobor–Okić hoard and were thus produced simultaneously with the bulk of the hoard, whereas the remainder can be classified as recently recognized group of coins produced in the Đurđevac (Gjurgjevac) tradition. The latter represent the debased and reduced in weight and size coins inspired by the tetradrachms deposited as the Đurđevac hoard. They were issued at various sites in south-western Pannonia, testifying to different phases of striking and local developments in their production. Two subtypes of such coins were recognized in the numismatic record of Kuzelin and are here separated out as Kuzelin A and B types. The date of these coins corresponds to the archaeological material excavated at the site, i.e., to the Lt D1 period, ca. 150/130−70/50 BC.

THE STRATIGRAPHY OF THE VYPOVZIV HILL-FORT

This paper deals to the hill-fort of the Vypovziv archaeological complex. The materials of the 2010—2021 from different ages discovered during the excavations are published.&#x0D; The Old Rus hill-fort of a rounded shape is located at the tip of the cape, which rises 3—4 m above the terrace. It has small dimensions (75 Ч 95 m) on the outer edge of the Old Rus ramparts and about 30 Ч 40 m on the inner side (its own site). The remains of ramparts that once surrounded the settlement around the entire perimeter are now almost completely blown away (the fortifications themselves occupy the area of natural dune which consists entirely of loose sand), and only under the soles the moat rather is guessed than visible. From the northern and southern sides the moat reaches the terrace slopes and creates ramps that gently descend to the floodplain of the old Desna riverbed. From the open side also passed the moat which is now practically covered with the same sand (it can barely be traced along the slope of the hill-fort). The settlement first attracted the attention of researchers from the end of the 19th century (1889). The site was gradually surveyed during the 20th century by various scholars but in-patient research was not conducted here before 2009.&#x0D; Since 2009, the expedition of the Institute of Archaeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the Chernihiv Shevchenko National Pedagogical University started here the stationary works, which continued permanently until recent times.&#x0D; The oldest materials originating from the territory of the settlement are antiquities of the late Neolithic period and Bronze Age. They are quite few and mostly occur in a re-deposited state. Separate pits and small areas of cultural layers of these periods located under the Old Rus layers, at the level of the pre-virgin soil, were discovered on the hill-fort site.&#x0D; During the research of the area of hill-fort a few fragments of pots from the Early Iron Age and the Early Slavic period were found. However, no objects of this time were found here. The main cultural layers on the hill-fort are ones of the Old Rus period of the late 9th — 10th centuries. It is at this time that defensive structures appeared on the hill-fort,the site is built up, which over time undergoes re-building and reconstruction. The time of the existence of the Old Rus settlement can be divided into several stages during the late 9th — 10th centuries. It is notable that there are no buildings of the 12th—13th centuries on the Vypovziv settlement. This proves that the settlement was not used at this time.&#x0D; The Late Middle Ages and early modern times were practically not reflected in the horizons of the complex. However, Vypovziv constantly appears in written sources of the post-Mongol era, starting from the end of the 13th century. In general, from 2010 to 2017, 15 burials of the 17th—18th centuries belonging to one cemetery were discovered on the site of the settlement. This, in turn, gives reason to assume the existence of a Christian church on the Vypovziv settlement, to which the discovered cemetery was attached.

Early Iron Age in Central Bosnia – an overview and research perspectives

This paper discusses the state of the research and general interpretation models of the Early Iron Age period in Central Bosnia. The Mid-Bosnian Schist Mountains and the surrounding river valleys of Vrbas, Lašva, and Bosna together with their tributaries characterise the landscape of this region. In terms of evidence from the Early Iron Age period (800–500 BC), the majority comes from the long-term excavations in the hillfort site Pod near Bugojno. The preliminary reports point to well-organised, long lasting and densely built up hillfort settlement with rectangular houses of similar size. Based on the numerous iron slag finds from recently discovered settlements of Čolaci and Zenepići, it can be inferred that some of the sites in Central Bosnia were intensively involved in the metal processing activity. Mortuary practices of the Early Iron Age communities are largely unknown since thus far, not a single intact burial was properly documented.

8th-10th century hillforts in the Sudetes – exploring current state of research and observations, towards new horizons

The article presents the latest results of archaeological studies on the 8th-10th century hillforts in the Sudetes. The authors present previously unknown structures, found through the analysis of aerial scans using the ALS method. Excavation and office studies conducted since 2005 in the Sudetes also allowed for correcting the chronology of some previously known hillfort sites. The article also presents a discussion on the structures referred to as ‘quasi-hillforts’ and those considered to be destroyed. The findings are concluded by a summary of changes in the archaeological research of the early medieval Sudetes over the last 15 years, i.e. since the publication of the last monograph devoted to hillforts in this part of Central Europe.

Nově objevené hradiště Čerťák u obce Sovolusky v kontextu halštatského osídlení regionu

This paper presents a new hillfort site which is situated on top of „Čerťák“ Hill (651 m n. m.), Sovolusky municipality, Karlovy Vary district. It has been identified with the help of a digital terrain model based on Airborne Laser Scanning (LiDAR). Two separate lines of stone ramparts have been confirmed on top of the Čerťák Hill, formed by a significant right bank meander in the upper course of the river Střela. The inner area reaches 1.4 ha and the external enclosed area spreads to 2.3 ha. Subsequent field research yielded a collection of more than 500 pottery fragments from the Late Hallstatt period. The dispersion of finds shows relatively intensive settlement. The paper also discusses other sites in the surrounding region which date to the same period. The Hallstatt settlement seems to have been a structurally connected complex in the presented area.

The Hoard of the Rings. "Odd" annular bread-like objects as a case study for cereal-product diversity at the Late Bronze Age hillfort site of Stillfried (Lower Austria).

Cereals, in addition to being a major ingredient in daily meals, also play a role in the preparation of foodstuffs for ritual purposes. This paper deals with finds that may correspond to such ritual preparations retrieved from the hillfort site of Stillfried an der March. The site, spreading across an area of ca. 23 ha, held a very important position among settlements of Late Urnfield period (particularly during the 10th– 9th c. BCE), acting as a central place where large scale storage of grain as well as textile and metal production took place under the control of local elites. Three incomplete ring-shaped charred organic objects, found together with 14 rings and ring fragments made of clay were discovered in a secondary filled silo pit, excavated among a total of about 100 pits of this kind at the site. The overall good state of preservation of the organic ring fragments suggests that they were deposited intact on the bottom of the pit and covered well so that no re-deposition or damage occurred. This could be indicate their intentional placement in this position. Light and scanning electron microscopy revealed that the charred organic rings are cereal products containing hulled barley and a wheat species. Indications that the objects were shaped from a wet cereal mixture and had been subsequently dried without baking are discussed, as well as the possible significance of the find assemblage. The annular objects are put in context with the contemporary cereal spectrum as well as other cereal preparations from Stillfried, outlining their different chaînes opératoires for handling cereal food.

Ranosrednjovjekovni nalazi s lokaliteta Brekinjova Kosa (rezultati istraživanja 2011. i 2015. godine)

Tijekom dviju sezona zaštitnih arheoloških istraživanja gradine Brekinjova Kosa nedaleko od Gline, otkriveni su ostaci ranosrednjovjekovnog objekta (vjerojatno crkve) i nekropole s bogatim grobnim prilozima. Među nalazima se ističe grob unutar samog objekta (grob 4) koji se prema prilozima svrstava u skupinu najbogatijih ranosrednjovjekovnih grobova istraženih na području moderne hrvatske države. Osim metalnih nalaza evidentiranih u grobovima ističe se i određena količina ranosrednjovjekovne keramike pronađene u površinskim slojevima i zasebnim jamama na lokalitetu, a koja bi mogla pružiti podatke o eventualnom naselju populacije koja se ovdje pokapala. S obzirom na to da je okolica lokaliteta uglavnom arheološki neistražena, ovaj nalaz pruža važne podatke o razdoblju ranog srednjeg vijeka na predmetnom području.

The Chalcolithic/Early Bronze Age Hillfort Phenomenon in the Northern Badia

The basalt and limestone desert of the Jawa hinterland in NE Jordan has been the focus of intensive archaeological research for the past six years. Surveys revealed abundant evidence for Chalcolithic or Early Bronze Age activities in this region. The preliminary results of these investigations have already led to a change in the earlier perception of this region and especially the basalt desert. Among the major discoveries are the identification of several hillfort sites in the basalt desert, which suggest a permanent occupation in this arid region. In addition, evidence for artificial irrigation with rainwater harvesting in the vicinity of these settlements underscores the potential for agriculture in this region. Soundings and excavations recovered several 14C dates from these sites, which prove a Late Chalcolithic/Early Bronze Age I occupation.

Milestones for a tentative chronological framework for the late prehistoric colonization of the basalt desert (north-eastern Jordan)

The discovery, in recent years, of a number of Chalcolithic/Early Bronze Age hillfort sites east of Jawa, provides a new perspective on settlement activities in the hinterland of Jawa. Recent surveys and soundings at two of these hillfort sites, namely Tulul al-Ghusayn and Khirbet al-Ja'bariya, have provided a series of AMS dates which are considered here in relation to the recently published first set of AMS dates from Jawa itself. Of particular importance are the fortification systems at these settlements, which (may) provide new insights into the evolution of fortifications in the late prehistory of South-west Asia.

Деятельность ОАИЭ в Болгарском городище в конце XIX – начале XX вв.

Деятельность ОАИЭ в Болгарском городище в конце XIX – начале XX вв.

The feasibility of vitrifying a sandstone enclosure in the British Iron Age

Iron Age structures with evidence for having been subjected to high temperatures have been identified throughout Europe. The thermal conditions that must have yielded such evidence of alteration remain enigmatic, especially for the case of high-silica, quartz-rich building materials such as sandstones. Here, we conduct an experimental investigation of thermal treatment using the Wincobank Iron Age hill fort site in Sheffield, South Yorkshire (U.K.) as a test case. We have selected samples of the unaltered protolithic sandstone from which the fort was constructed as starting material as well as material from the vitrified wall core. An experimental suite of thermally treated protolith samples has been analysed using a combined approach involving X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis (simultaneous differential scanning calorimetry with thermogravimetric analysis). Comparison between our experimental products and the variably vitrified samples found in the wall of the Wincobank hill fort helps to constrain firing temperatures and timescales. For mineralogical markers, we employ the high-temperature conversion of quartz to cristobalite and the melting of feldspar to compare the relative abundance of these phases before and after thermal treatment. We find that the Iron Age wall samples have mineralogical abundances most consistent with a minimum firing temperature range <1100–1250°C and a firing timescale of >10h. These first quantitative constraints for a fort constructed of sandstone are consistent with those found for forts constructed of granitic material. Finally, we explore the reasons for thermal disequilibrium during firing and invoke this mechanism to explain the differential vitrification found at some Iron Age stone-built enclosures.

Gradiometry survey and magnetic anomaly testing of Castros de Neixón, Galicia, Spain

During the summer of 2011, a geophysical survey with subsequent magnetic anomaly testing was conducted in Northwest Iberia, in the province of Galicia, Spain, the most extensive evaluation of its kind to be performed on a Castro Culture hill fort with distinct Bronze and Iron Age occupations. The investigation focused on determining the spatial extent, occupation, and use of the multicomponent Bronze and Iron Age hill fort site(s) of Castros de Neixón.A Geoscan Research FM36 Fluxgate Gradiometer was used successfully to measure and identify magnetic anomalies interpreted as potential archaeological features within the occupation areas.Over 400 monopole and dipole magnetic anomalies were detected, many of which have been interpreted as representing pits, ditches, palisades, hearths and a possible corral. A parallel defensive ditch with zig-zag entrance was located north of the occupation at Castro de Neixón Grande. Subsurface testing of a promising monopole anomaly revealed a large storage pit with artifacts dating to the Castro period. New research since the 1990s has opened up traditional discussions linking the characteristic architecture of defensive walls and round structures (after which the Castro Culture was named) to a warrior-elite society, to more complex interpretations related to the intensification of agriculture and corresponding increase in sedentism. These new interpretations integrate domestic and agricultural features into Castro subsistence practices, including storage pits. Our results support these interpretations, revealing the extent to which storage pits are a dominant feature type at Castros de Neixón. Future research and subsurface excavations directed at understanding under-investigated features located via geophysical survey techniques at sites like Castros de Neixón may clarify questions surrounding Castro Culture social organization.

Archaeobotanical consideration of the development of Pre-Roman Iron Age crop growing in the region of Hesse, Germany, and the question of agricultural production and consumption at hillfort sites and open settlements

Archaeobotanical investigations into centralisation processes and related social developments between 800 and 400 b.c. are part of a supra-regional interdisciplinary research program. A diachronous approach is used to reconstruct Late-Bronze Age/Early Iron Age agriculture and food production and to investigate agricultural developments. In addition the results from assumed “central places”, the hillfort sites, are compared with those of open rural settlements in their surroundings. The charred plant assemblages give evidence of an increase in diversity of crop species at the beginning of the 5th century b.c. This change may indicate an alteration in the agricultural system to allow an increase in and/or a minimisation of risk to food production.

Recent Archaeological Exploration in Great Britain

THE month of August, as usual, has been fruitful in results of arch¦ological exploration on sites in various parts of Great Britain. Among the more important, Dr. R. E. Mortimer Wheelers excavation of the great earthwork of Maiden Castle provides abundant material bearing on the Roman and pre-Roman occupation of the site. The discovery of four gold coins of the fourth century and a gold ring as treasure trove have necessitated an inquest in which the Prince of Wales, as owner of the land, is interested. It is anticipated that these objects will be handed eventually to the Dorchester Museum for custody. Evidence of a stone age settlement has been found, and it is expected that the excavation of the ditch now being undertaken will throw light on the origin of the work. Another hill-fort site will be available for the inspection of members of the British Association attending the Aberdeen meeting. This is the prehistoric fort on Finavon Hill on the main road from Aberdeen to Forfar at the entrance of Strathmore, which recently has been under excavation by Prof. Gordon Childe. On the hill-top are the remains of ramparts, still 12 ft. in height, but which, it is estimated, once stood nearly 20 ft. high by 20 ft. thick. The stone coping exhibits the curious character of vitrification, due apparently to exposure to intense heat, occasionally found in these Scottish forts. In the course of the excavation, pottery, flint implements, spindle-whorls, broken animal bones and a little iron were foundbut there is nothing which would make it possible to assign a date to the fort with any certainty. It is, however, thought to be pre-Roman, rather than Roman, in dating. A brief account of the exploration of the fort appears in the Times of August 30.