Mottes and bailey in Lithuania

ENLithuania is the most eastern country of Europe having remains of motte-type castles. As for 2004, there have been 824 hill-forts dating to the 1st century B.C. - 15th century A.D. registered in Lithuania . Out of them 5 ones have been identified as modes: Kalnėnai, Palocėliai in Seredžius, and Pilaitės in Veliuona (all of them in Western Lithuania), Vikūnai (in Central Lithuania) and Dubičiai (in Southern Lithuania). Some other castles could have been motte-type, but no traces have survived on the surface level (Fig. l/II). In Europe modes were built in the 10th-14th century, hence Lithuanian modes belong to the same period. Mode-type castles were brought to Lithuania by the Teutonic Order, which started the conquest of the Western Balts (Prussian tribes) in the 4th decade of the 13th century. After conquering Prussia by the late 13th century and establishing its position there, the Order turned its further offensive against the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Adacks on the territory of modem Lithuania continued with different power and intensity from 1283 till 1410, when Lithuanian victory at the Badle of Tannenberg ended up direct onrushes on the country. In various phases of the war, starting from the 4th decade of the 14th century, the Order built its castles in Lithuania, trying to entrench in its occupied outskirts. Most of these castles (there were about twenty of them) must have been mode-type, but no traces have survived on the surface. In some cases we even do not know, where to look for these castles.