Hill forts by country Hillfort

1 hill forts country

1.1 great britain
1.2 central europe

1.2.1 migration period


1.3 portugal , spain
1.4 estonia
1.5 finland
1.6 ireland
1.7 latvia
1.8 lithuania
1.9 scandinavia , russia

hill forts country
great britain


the ramparts of multivallate british camp in herefordshire



dinas dinlle, wales

the reason emergence of hill forts in britain, , purpose, has been subject of debate. has been argued have been military sites constructed in response invasion continental europe, sites built invaders, or military reaction social tensions caused increasing population , consequent pressure on agriculture. dominant view since 1960s has been increasing use of iron led social changes in britain. deposits of iron ore located in different places tin , copper ore necessary make bronze, , result trading patterns shifted , old elites lost economic , social status. power passed hands of new group of people. archaeologist barry cunliffe believes population increase still played role , has stated [the forts] provided defensive possibilities community @ times when stress [of increasing population] burst out open warfare. wouldn t see them having been built because there state of war. functional defensive strongholds when there tensions , undoubtedly of them attacked , destroyed, not only, or significant, factor in construction .

hill forts in britain known bronze age, great period of hill fort construction during iron age, between 700 bc , roman conquest of britain in 43 ad. romans occupied forts, such military garrison @ hod hill, , temple @ brean down, others destroyed , abandoned. partially articulated remains of between 28 , 40 men, women , children @ cadbury castle thought excavator implicate cadbury population in revolt in 70s ad (roughly contemporary of boudicca in east of england), although has been questioned subsequent researchers. however, presence of barracks on hilltop in decades following conquest suggest ongoing struggle suppress local dissent.

maiden castle in dorset largest hill fort in england. roman influence less strong, such uninvaded ireland , unsubdued northern scotland, hill forts still built , used several more centuries.

there on 2,000 iron age hillforts known in britain of 600 in wales. danebury in hampshire, thoroughly investigated iron age hillfort in britain, extensively published.

cadbury castle, somerset largest amongst forts reoccupied following end of roman rule, defend against pirate raids, , anglo-saxon invasions. cemetery outside poundbury hill contains east-facing christian burials of 4th century. wansdyke new linear earthwork connected existing hill fort @ maes knoll, defined celtic-saxon border in south-west england during period 577–652 ad.

some hill forts re-occupied anglo-saxons during period of viking raids. king alfred established network of coastal hill forts , lookout posts in wessex, linked herepath, or military road, enabled armies cover viking movements @ sea. example, see daw s castle , battle of cynwit.

it has been suggested on reasonable evidence many so-called hill forts used pen in cattle, horses, or other domesticated animals. large sprawling examples @ bindon hill , bathampton down more 50 acres (20 ha). defensive settlements in iron age used coralling animals in later periods. example, see coney s castle, dolebury warren , pilsdon pen. however, difficult prove people did not dwell there, lack of evidence not proof of absence.

central europe

hill fort kostolec, piešťany (slovakia).

the hallstatt culture , la tène culture originated in southern germany, switzerland, austria, slovakia , czech republic. however, hill forts built in poland , further east, until middle ages.

the predominant form of rampart construction pfostenschlitzmauer, or kelheim-style.

migration period

during period of late antiquity or migration period large number of hilltop settlements established both on roman imperial territory , on germanic soil. however, term embraces wide range of different settlements in high locations. @ least few of germanic settlements protected fortifications. unlike romans, however, germanii did not use mortar @ time construction. among best known hill settlements in germany runder berg near bad urach , gelbe bürg near dittenheim. in areas remote roman empire, such southern sweden, numerous hillfort sites of period have been found.

portugal , spain

hill fort of coaña, asturias, spain

in galicia, asturias, cantabria, basque country, province of Ávila , northern portugal castro fortified pre-roman iron age village, located on hill or naturally easy defendable place. larger hill forts called citanias, cividades or cidás (english: cities). located on hilltops, allowed tactical control on surrounding countryside , provided natural defences. had access spring or small creek provide water; had large reservoirs use during sieges. typically, castro had 1 5 stone , earth walls, complemented natural defences of hill. buildings inside, of them circular in shape, rectangular, 3.5–15 m (11–49 ft) long; made out of stone thatch roofs resting on wood column in centre of building. in major oppida there regular streets, suggesting form of central organization. castros vary in area less hectare 50 hectare ones, , abandoned after roman conquest of territory.

many castros established during atlantic bronze age period, pre-dating hallstatt culture.

many of megaliths bronze age such menhirs , dolmens, located near castros, pre-date celts in portugal, asturias , galicia in atlantic france, britain , ireland. these megaliths reused in syncretic rituals celtic druids.

the celtiberian people occupied inland region in central northern spain, straddling upper valleys of ebro, douro , tajo. built hillforts, fortified hilltop towns , oppida, including numantia.

estonia

varbola hillfort ruins in estonia

the estonian word hill fort linnamägi (plural linnamäed), meaning hillfort or hillburgh. there several hundred hill forts or presumed ancient hill fort sites on estonia. of them, toompea in tallinn or toomemägi in tartu, governance centres used since ancient times until today. others, varbola historical sites nowadays.

most estonian hill forts in pre-christian times administrative, economic , military centres of estonian tribes. although of them used during times of crisis , stood empty in peacetime (for example soontagana in koonga parish, pärnu county.

finland

the finnish word hill fort linnavuori (plural linnavuoret), meaning fort hill or castle hill, or alternatively muinaislinna meaning ancient fort, opposed bare linna refers medieval or later fortifications.

one special feature finnish hill forts while of them located these days within distance sea, earlier many of forts located sea, due post-glacial rebound.

finland has around 100 hill forts verified excavations, , 200 more suspected sites. largest hill fort in finland rapola castle, notable 1 old castle of lieto.

ireland

exterior view of ringfort grianan of aileach situated in county donegal

bronze age , iron age hill forts found in ireland. large circular structures between 1 , 40 acres (most commonly 5–10 acres) in size, enclosed stone wall or earthen rampart or both. these have been important tribal centres chief or king of area live extended family , support farming , renting cattle underlings.

there around 40 known hill forts in ireland. 12 multivallate distinguished multiple ramparts, or large counterscarp (outer bank). imposing example @ mooghaun defended multiple stone walls.

one must careful not confuse hill-fort ringfort - medieval settlement - common archaeological feature across whole island of ireland, of on 40,000 examples known; 1 source claims there may 10,000 undiscovered ringforts.

some hill forts have cairns inside boundaries , there many speculations phenomenon, theories range being strange cult religion coincidence same kind of area both (hill tops commanding views of local vicinity), excavation @ freestone hill in county kilkenny has shown there indeed ditch cut out around cairn, evidence had respect feature no matter decided believe it.

latvia

the latvian word hillfort pilskalns (plural: pilskalni), pils (castle) , kalns (hill).

tērvete hillfort. main semigallian centre in late iron age

hillforts in latvia offered not military , administrative functions cultural , economic centres of regions. latvian hillforts part of complex consisting of main fortress, settlement around it, 1 or more burial fields , nearby ritual sites. first hillforts in latvia, such daugmale hillfort, appeared during bronze age. continuously inhabited until late iron age.

during roman iron age, of latvian hillforts (like Ķivutkalns) abandoned or became sparsely populated. new period in hillfort development started during 5th-8th centuries ad, when many new hillforts appeared, in cases, along main trades routes - rivers. during 10th-11th centuries, of hillforts became military fortresses strong fortifications (like hillforts in tērvete, talsi, mežotne). of them considered important political centres of local peoples, in period subjects of serious social political changes. period known unrest , military activities, power struggles between local aristocracy. of latvian hillforts destroyed or abandoned during livonian crusade in 13th century, still used in 14th century. in total, there 470 hillforts in latvia.

lithuania

piliakalnis complex in kernavė, world heritage site



daubariai piliakalnis in mažeikiai district municipality

the lithuanian word hill fort piliakalnis (plural piliakalniai), pilis (=castle) , kalnas (=mountain, hill).

lithuania has hill forts dating bronze age in 1st millennium bc. earliest examples in present-day lithuania found in east of country. of these forts built or expanded between fifth , fifteenth centuries, when used in dukes wars, , against invasion of teutonic knights west. forts located on banks of river, or confluence 2 rivers met. these fortifications typically wooden, although had additional stone or brick walls. hill sculpted defensive purposes, top flattened , natural slopes made steeper defence.

during years of grand duchy of lithuania piliakalniai played major role in conflicts livonian order , teutonic knights. during period number of piliakalniai in use decreased, remained had stronger fortifications. 2 main defence lines developed: 1 along neman river (against teutonic order) , along border livonia. 2 other lines started form, did not develop. 1 protect vilnius, capital, , other line in samogitia, major target both orders. territory separated 2 orders , prevented joint action between them , pagan lithuania.

according lietuvos piliakalnių atlasas (english: atlas of piliakalniai in lithuania), there 826 piliakalniai in lithuania. researchers present total number of 840 known piliakalnis in 2007; number increase more of them discovered every year. piliakalniai located near rivers , endangered erosion: many have partly collapsed flooded river has washed out base of hill. around 80 percent of piliakalniai covered forests , hardly accessible visitors.

scandinavia , russia

hill fort in halikko, finland

in scandinavia , northern russia, hill forts fortifications iron age may have had several functions. located on crests of hills , mountains making use of precipices , marshes worked natural defences. crests more accessible parts defended walls of stone , outer walls in slopes beneath common. round , closed, called, ring forts common on flat ground. walls have remaining parts of stone, support of pales. have delineated gateways, gates of of wood. hill forts strong walls located beside old trade routes , have offensive character, whereas others reclusive , weakly fortified, hiding during raids.

many forts, located centrally in densely populated areas, permanently settled strongholds , can show traces of settlements both inside , outside. older place names containing element sten/stein hill forts.

in sweden, there 1100 known hill forts strong concentration on northern west coast , in eastern svealand. in södermanland there 300, in uppland 150, Östergötland 130, , 90 100 in each of bohuslän , gotland. norway has 400 hill forts, denmark has 26.