Šiauliai Tourism Information Centre

RAKTUVĖ HILLFORT WITH SETTLEMENT

Historic sites

Archaeologists have established that the Raktė or Raktuvė, hillfort dates back to two periods. The first human occupation (from the earliest finds of a bone pin sherd and striated pottery) dates back to the Late Brass Age and Early Stone Age (1000-1 BC). At that time, the hillfort had a settlement of cattle breeders. In the second period (throwing pottery, stone moulding plate), in the 10th century, it was inhabited by the Semigallians. A castle was then built on the hill and in addition to defence it, crafts and other businesses flourished. The hillfort is about 95 m long and 43 m wide, the site is quadrangular, elongated, and the slopes are 6–7 m high. The hillfort has been badly disturbed since the mid-19th century by the burial of the dead and the construction of a wooden chapel in the centre of the site. Various archaeological finds have been discovered on the site. The most impressive are a stone mould for casting pewter jewellery (one of 11 sites in Lithuania) and a bone plate with inscribed circles and scored pits – perhaps the only find of such kind.

Country

Lithuania

Historic land

Semigallia

Nature / landscape

Mounds

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