A Bronze Age settlement and courtyard quarried in the 20th century

Spitrėnų piliakalnis is a hill fort and archaeological site located in the Utenos district, north of Spitrėnai. The site features an oval courtyard, approximately 50 meters long and 20 meters wide, oriented in an east-west direction. During the first half of the 20th century, the courtyard was heavily quarried. Today, a central and western part measuring 40 by 23 meters remains, with the center and western half excavated to a depth of about 1.5 meters. The slopes of the fort stand 9-10 meters high, and the northern slope is covered with lupines.

Archaeological research conducted in 1973 and 1997 revealed a cultural layer nearly 1.5 meters thick, dating from the late Bronze Age to the 3rd century AD. Excavations uncovered artifacts including stone axes, a hearth, a domestic pit, bone tools, and various types of pottery, along with animal and bird bones. The site also contained a barrier of wooden posts, 10-15 centimeters in diameter, tipped with stones and covered with clay. The top of the slope was also built up with clay and stones.

In addition to the hill fort, a settlement occupies a 0.2-hectare area at the base of the northern and western slopes. The site is a cultural monument of the Republic of Lithuania, protected by the National Museum of Lithuania. It is accessible from road 4903, located north of the intersection leading to Spitrėnai.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons