The history and archaeological layers of Luponių hillfort

Luponių hillfort, also known as Perkūnkalnis or Raganų kalnas, is located in the village of Luponių within the Kužių seniūnija in the Šiauliai region. The hillfort stands on a separate hill, where the north-east, south-east, and south-west slopes reach heights of 8-9 meters. The north-west slope is slightly lower, resting on a terrace measuring 30x35 meters and approximately 4 meters high. The oval-shaped courtyard faces southeast-northwest, measuring 45 meters long and 33 meters wide.

Various defensive features define the site's structure. On the northwest edge, there is a 22-meter-long and 3-meter-high rampart. Further south on the southwest slope, 2 meters below the courtyard, sits a terrace 5 meters wide and 2 meters high. The ramparts are decorated with trenches, and a niche is carved into the northwest rampart, featuring a square area at its base for nesting birds. To the southeast, on a 3-hectare plot, lies a settlement excavated in 1997. This site contains a cultural layer from the 1st to 13th centuries, where archaeologists found iron artifacts, pottery, and bone remains.

While there is no historical literature regarding the hillfort, it is speculated that one of the Šiauliai region's hillforts stood here before the 14th century. It is thought to have been a wooden fortress used as a hiding place by locals during conflicts with the Crusaders. Historians believe the Luponių fortress may have been one of the primary fortifications in the defense system of Northern Lithuania during the wars with the Crusaders.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons