The Laistų piliakalnis is a hillfort situated on a high point on the left bank of the Smeltalė river, just south of the village of Laistų. The site features a nearly circular clearing measuring about 40 to 42 metres across. It is protected by a rampart that is 12 metres wide and runs from the northeast and west in an arc, reaching 5 metres in height on the exterior. The clearing and rampart are surrounded by ditches.
Archaeological research conducted in 1998 identified five layers in the rampart. To the north and northeast lies a settlement covering 0.6 hectares. Excavations in the 1980s revealed cultural layers up to 0.9 metres thick dating from the first millennium BC to the 13th century. These layers contain post holes, hearths, pottery with smooth and rough surfaces, parts of spinning wheels, and clay spindle whorls. The northern side of the settlement was fortified with a rampart 2 metres high and 9 metres wide during the middle of the first millennium.
About 300 metres east of the hillfort is a cemetery dated from the 3rd to the 13th centuries. Excavations performed between 1902 and 1903 identified about 160 burnt and unburnt graves with various burials. Findings include coins, weapons, jewelry, and work tools. Most of these artifacts were held in the Prussia museum in Klaipėda until 1945.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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