Nežinomi piliakalniai Pietų Lietuvoje

LT2016–2017 m. straipsnio autorius, asmenine iniciatyva analizuodamas senus Lietuvos žemėlapius, LiDAR duomenis bei lankydamasis įvairiose Pietų ir Pietryčių Lietuvos vietovėse, surado tris naujus piliakalnius ir siūlo juos įtraukti į NKVR. Piliakalnių koordinatės nurodytos LKS94 sistemoje. [...] [p. 562].

ENDuring 2016–2017, 3 new hillforts were discovered after old maps of Lithuania and LiDAR data were analysed at the author’s personal initiative and various localities in South and Southeast Lithuania visited. Pažarstis-Naujasodis hillfort (Prienai district) was created on an isolated sandy hill in the upper part of the river valley on the left bank of the Lašaša stream. A quarry had been dug on the S–SW side of the hillfort. The surviving part of the hillfort’s enclosure is a 16 (NW–SE) x 10–11 m (NE–SW) semicircle. The enclosure’s surface is almost level and is enclosed on the NW–N–NE–E side by an arced bank, which is 13–18 m wide at the base and up to 2–2.7 m high, the height gradually falling at the SW end. Outside the bank on the SE side, the hillfort is further separated from the gradually rising valley slope by a 17 m wide, 1–1.4 m deep ditch. The hillfort’s slopes are steep and reach a height of 3.3–9.3 m. On the NW slope, 2.5–3.5 m below the enclosure, is a narrow terrace, the partially surviving remains of a ditch and bank. The hillfort dates to the 1st–7th centuries. The enclosure has a cultural layer as several small sherds of hand built pottery with brushed surfaces were found. A settlement existed at the hillfort’s NW–N foot. Šimuliai Hillfort (Marijampolė district) was created on a promontory that formed in a bend in the Šešupė and rises 5.4–6.7 m above the river’s surface. The hillfort’s enclosure is an irregular oval, 57–73 (S–N) x 97–105 m. The remains of an elevated area (a bank?) up to 50 cm high were observable in places on the N and NW edges. A bank, which had been created on the E side of the enclosure’s S edge, has been severely damaged: a 40–60 cm high, up to 25–27 m wide elevation having survived.The ditch to its outside has been partially filled by soil from the bank: a 0.5–1.2 m deep, 40–60 m wide depression having survived. The hillfort’s E–SE edges are washed by the Šešupė while the enclosure and its S slope have been disturbed through the construction of buildings and the creation of allotment gardens. The hillfort dates to the 3rd–8th centuries. The enclosure has a cultural layer as sherds of pottery with rough surfaces, small pieces of clay daub, and flint blades and flakes were found. Vilkiškės Hillfort II (Šalčininkai district) was created on the central part of a spur off a severely eroded ridge. The upper 2–4 m of the spur’s slopes have been made steeper. The hillfort’s enclosure is a rectangle with rounded corners, 75–77 (W–E) x 35–40 m. The enclosure’s N and S edges are 1.5–2 m lower than its central part. A 6 m wide and up to 60 cm high arcing bank was created on its W edge. Roughly 2–5 m below the enclosure’s edge, the hillfort was ringed by two ditches with an intervening bank: the bank is 4 m wide at the base and up to 0.3–1 m high, the inner ditch 3–4 m wide and 20–50 cm deep, and the severely damaged outer ditch is 3–4 m wide and 20–40 cm deep only in several places. In many places this ring defensive structure has been almost completely destroyed, especially on the S and W slopes. The hillfort’s slopes are steep and are highest on the N and S sides, where they are 7–16.5 m high while the W slope is 1.8–23 m high and the E 5.2–6.5 m. The hillfort has been severely damaged through erosion. It dates to the 3rd century bc 2nd century ad. A cultural layer up to 10–20 cm thick and containing sherds of hand built earthenware vessels with brushed surfaces is observable in places in the enclosure and on the slopes.