The hill fort of Žardės is located in the territory of Klaipėda city municipality, near the villages of Žardininkai and Žardė. It sits on a separate hill on the right bank of the Smeltalė river. The fort features a round area with a diameter of 30 meters, surrounded by a rammed wall up to 1.5 meters high and 15 meters wide, which is best preserved in the western part. The slopes have a medium steepness, reaching heights of 3-8 meters. The hillfort dates from the I millennium BC to the XIII century.
The fort is fortified with ditches and trenches, currently overgrown with shrubs and trees. On a plot of 12.6 hectares to the southwest of the hillfort lies a settlement dating from the XI to XIII centuries. Archaeological findings in the cultural layer of this settlement include remains of wooden buildings, hearths, stone kilns, and an iron melting furnace. Other recovered artifacts include bronze needles, weaving loom weights, ship nails, glass beads, and both smooth and rough ceramics, along with animal bones.
In 1253, a castle called Žardė stood on the hillfort. Today, the site remains a significant archaeological location within the Klaipėda region, marking a long history of human habitation and fortification.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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