Aniškio piliakalnis: A Serpentine Fort Unearthed in Lithuania's Night Forest

Aniškio piliakalnis: A Serpentine Fort Unearthed in Lithuania's Night Forest

Amidst the trees of Lithuania's night forest, a hidden fort is uncovered.

Aniškio piliakalnis, locally known as Minimas and Arminų hill, is discovered in the remote and mysterious night forest of the Alytus region, near the Upelis river. The hill's summit was built as a fort, featuring a protrusion that is an impressive 15 meters high, with a base of 20 meters by 3.5 meters. This fort, dating back to the Iron Age – Middle Ages, boasts a peculiar 20-meter long, 6-meter high, 20-meter wide access, topped with an 8-meter high slab, leading to a 7-meter high, 2-meter thick roof supported by 2-meter thick, sloping edges.

Underneath this roof lies another 4-meter wide mound. At the foot of the mound, serpentine vaults are found. The hill's surroundings reveal a 1.5-hectare settlement from the Iron Age to the Middle Ages, where a unique cultural layer with flat, globular, and cylindrical pottery, characterized by sharp, red-colored steps and bi-colored vertical stripes, can be discovered.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons

Written by Nicolo Ciampini

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