Ancient remnants: The Unearthed Šančiai Hillfort, Kaunas

Ancient remnants: The Unearthed Šančiai Hillfort, Kaunas

Discover the hidden battle-scarred hillfort beneath modern buildings in Kaunas, Lithuania. Dating back to the 1st century, it's one of the largest hillforts in the country.

The Šančiai Hillfort, a significant archaeological site in Kauno rajono savivaldybės territory, is found in Lapių seniūnija. Mapped as an archaeological site, it dates back to the 1st century. On 29 April 2005, the Lithuanian Culture Ministry issued a decree (No. ĮV-190) for its preservation as state cultural heritage. The protected cultural heritage territory spans an area of 16,000 m².

In the heart of the hillfort, six meters below the surface, two 0.2-meter thick walls, 0.3-meter high, are flanked by a 3-meter wide, 1-meter high ditch. Discovered by Pietaras Tarasenka in 1942, subsequent scientific research was carried out in 1972 by the Scientific Research and Development Association. The hillfort occupies a 0.3-hectare area where fragments of pottery have been unearthed.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons

Written by Nicolo Ciampini

Discuss this with the author and others

No comments yet. Be the first to start the conversation.