The ancient hillfort where Lithuania was once disputed

Title: The ancient hillfort where Lithuania was once disputed Teaser: Lithuania's oldest hillfort, a forgotten battleground

Standing tall in the rolling hills of Minija, Lekemės piliakalnis is an ancient hillfort dating back to the 1st century AD and stretching into the 13th century. The hillfort was built with a central, 3.5-meter high and 19-meter wide platform, and a 16-meter wide and 5-meter deep ditch surrounding it. Archaeological research, conducted in 1963 by the State History Museum of Lithuania, revealed that the hillfort was built and used for more than a millennium. Today, the hillfort is threatened by land erosion and is slowly disappearing.[issues]

The hillfort is one of the oldest and best-preserved hillforts in Lithuania, and a testament to the country's rich and complex history. The hillfort's imposing hill, approximately 20–25 meters tall, is surrounded by a three-banked ditch, the tallest on the southwest side. The hillfort's platform, about 38 meters by 30 meters in size, sits atop the hill, surrounded by a 35-meter-wide and 9-meter-deep terrace 16 meters below the platform's top. A living settlement, covering approximately 0.2 hectares, surrounds the hillfort and serves as a reminder of its historical significance.[issues]

Lekemės piliakalnis is located in Plungė region, near Lekemės Kaimas, and was built between the 1st century AD and the 13th century AD. The hillfort was excavated by Lietuvos Istorijos Institutas in 1963.[issues]

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons