The Fortified Hill of Bernotų

Perched near the Girija river in the Bernotų village of the Vilniaus region municipality, lies Bernotų piliakalnis. This hill fort reaches approximately 12 meters in height and features a long yard measuring 90 x 13-15 meters. The landscape is defined by the lake to the west, the Girija stream valley to the south and southwest, a ditch to the east, and a high hill to the north. On the northern edge of the yard, a 3-meter-high pillar shaped like an axe head remains, with remains of a ditch behind it.

To the north of the hill fort are the remains of an ancient settlement, while the Bernotų kapinynas is located about 0.1 km to the southwest. These sites serve as silent witnesses to the historical layers of the region, where cultural layers are clearly visible in the yard and on the slopes.

Archaeological excavations of the hill fort were conducted in 1987, uncovering iron slag and ceramics decorated with horizontal parallel lines and wavy line ornaments. The pottery features surfaces that are glazed, slipped, and rough. The site is dated from the 1st to the 12th centuries, and the finds are preserved by the Lithuanian National Museum.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons