Ancient hill fort of Kartuvių kalnu near Jaučai and its hidden past

The hill of Jaučai, known locally as Kartuvių kalnu, stands approximately a kilometer from the nearest road, in the territory of Kauno rajono savivaldybės, near the village of Jaučai. The hill is higher than the surrounding fields by 10-12 meters. The site of the hill covers about 46x22 meters. An archaeological layer, approximately 0.6 meters deep, was found at the site. The hill is linked to the ancient castle of Castro Pasten, first mentioned in 1292 by Petrus Dusburgietis.

Historians believe that the hill and the settlement might be related to the castle that was defeated by the Teutonic Knights in 1369. The castle may have been rebuilt, but was quickly destroyed again by the Lithuanians. The site of the hill has been researched in 1951 and 2003. The ancient settlement found at the site includes remnants of houses, ceramics, stone, metal artifacts, remains of wooden structures, Roman coins, and remnants of a metalworker's workshop.

The hill's summit, approximately 25 meters high, indicates the presence of an archaeological layer. According to local legend, a church was located on the hill where relics were brought to the hill.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons