Near the village of Gintališkės in the Plungė district, the hillfort known as Pilė rises from the land to the west. It is situated on the right bank of the Salanta River, where it meets the Kūlupis, surrounded by the river valleys to the north and east. The site features slopes reaching heights of 10 to 14 meters, while the courtyard measures 65 by 60 meters.
The structure shows signs of significant weathering, with ongoing erosion at the base of the western slope and collapsed sections. On the southeastern edge of the hillfort, there is a semi-circular embankment measuring 57 meters long, 8 meters high, and 50 meters wide. The surrounding area is currently covered in grass and surrounded by deciduous trees.
Archaeological investigations have been conducted in several stages. The hillfort was surveyed in 1948, 1966, and 1989, while a burial mound located about 0.5 km to the south was excavated in 1940, 1968-1969, and 1971. These excavations revealed a wide array of artifacts, including iron tools such as axes and needles, weapons like swords and spears, and jewelry such as necklaces and rings. The collection of 3,426 items is now preserved in several national and regional museums.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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