{"id":37393,"date":"2025-11-18T15:11:45","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T13:11:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/osiliana.eu\/?p=37393"},"modified":"2025-11-18T15:19:03","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T13:19:03","slug":"karla-lihulinn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osiliana.eu\/en\/karla-lihulinn\/","title":{"rendered":"K\u00e4rla Lihulinn"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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The\u00a0<\/span>K\u00e4rla<\/span>\u00a0hillfort, also known as\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Lihulinn<\/span><\/span>, is the largest prehistoric stronghold\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>\u00a0Saaremaa. It\u00a0<\/span>is in<\/span>\u00a0Western Saaremaa, only two kilometres northeast of Lake\u00a0<\/span>Karuj\u00e4rv<\/span>. The hillfort measures approximately 270 metres northwest\u2013southeast and 170 metres northeast\u2013southwest, with an estimated courtyard area of 1<\/span>.<\/span>8<\/span>\u00a0ha<\/span>. In constructing the stronghold, natural sand dunes were used, upon which powerful ramparts were built, rising 7\u201310 metres above the outer ground level.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The hillfort of Lihulinn is marked in blue. <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In the 18th century, the\u00a0<\/span>K\u00e4rla<\/span>\u00a0hillfort was mentioned under the name\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Leolin<\/span><\/span><\/em>\u00a0<\/em>or\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Lehren<\/span>\u00a0Stadt<\/span><\/span><\/em>, which has also been associated with the name\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/span>L\u00f5o<\/span>(<\/span>kese<\/span>) linn<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The courtyard of the hillfort is divided into two parts: the northern and northeastern sections lie on a higher natural sand elevation, while the southern and southwestern parts occupy a lower area. The lower flat section has historically been used as farmland \u2013 in the early 20th century, a well pit with walls made of fieldstones was\u00a0<\/span>reportedly still<\/span>\u00a0visible there during ploughing.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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In 1984, a forest fire occurred on the hillfort, and sand was taken from the northeastern rampart for extinguishing<\/span>\u00a0fire<\/span>, which is why this section of the rampart now has a<\/span>n\u00a0<\/span>uneven appearance. In the same year, small-scale test excavations were carried out by Evald T\u00f5nisson<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>\u00dclle<\/span>\u00a0Tamla. These<\/span>\u00a0excavations<\/span>\u00a0revealed that the lower area of the stronghold has a cultural layer 10\u201320 centimetres thick<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Traces of the cultural layer were also found in the higher northeastern part of the courtyard. In the upper\u00a0<\/span>part<\/span>\u00a0of the northeastern rampart, which was\u00a0<\/span>examined to a depth of up to two metres along the edge of an earlier pit, burnt stones and multiple layers of charcoal were uncovered.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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In 1992, archaeologist J\u00fcri Peets, in co<\/span>operation<\/span>\u00a0with geologists, carried out geological investigations at the hillfort. Among other things, a\u00a0<\/span>h<\/span>ole was drilled on\u00a0<\/span>top\u00a0<\/span>of the\u00a0<\/span>rampart<\/span>. It was found that the mixed material\u00a0<\/span>containing<\/span>\u00a0charcoal and burnt sand extends to a depth of 5.3 metres. The rampart is heaped from sand and stones onto the natural dune. Within the mixed sand are darker\u00a0<\/span>layers<\/span>\u00a0and charcoal patches; the hillfort\u00a0<\/span>seems to have<\/span>\u00a0experienced three major fires. At a depth of\u00a0<\/span>roughly 160<\/span>\u00a0cm, a compact charcoal\u00a0<\/span>layer<\/span>\u00a05\u20138 cm thick was\u00a0<\/span>encountered<\/span>. Below this\u00a0<\/span>layer<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>were larger\u00a0<\/span>stones. At 175\u2013200 cm depth, another darker, charcoal-flecked layer resembling cultural soil appeared, under which again was lighter sand with darker charcoal streaks. The last, third layer lies at 330 cm depth and consists of an intense 10\u201312 cm thick burned layer of charcoal. Below that, at 530 cm, the soil turns lighter and natural.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Figure from J\u00fcri Peets\u2019s 1994 report on geoarchaeological investigations, with the location of the borehole marked in yellow.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In 1995, archaeologist J\u00fcri Peets conducted archaeological excavations in the northeastern part of the hillfort, on the higher plateau. It was found that the cultural layer was 15\u201325 centimetres thick and\u00a0<\/span>contained<\/span>\u00a0handmade pottery and finds dating to the 11th\u201313th centuries, while radiocarbon dates also\u00a0<\/span>indicated<\/span>\u00a0the 9th\u201310th centuries. During the excavations, many burnt stones were discovered,\u00a0<\/span>possibly from<\/span>\u00a0earlier fortifications or buildings, as well as several pits with mixed layers and a few possible post-holes.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Small excavations at the hillfort were carried out in 2025.\u00a0<\/span>The\u00a0<\/span>aim\u00a0<\/span>of\u00a0<\/span>these<\/span>\u00a0was to study the lower area of the\u00a0<\/span>K\u00e4rla<\/span>\u00a0hillfort using a 3\u00d74 metre excavation, to clarify the period of use of the stronghold and the nature of the cultural layer. The main research question was whether the investigated area had been\u00a0<\/span>over<\/span>built during the hillfort\u2019s period of use<\/span>. Additionally, a 0.5\u00d73.5 metre trench was opened on\u00a0<\/span>top of the\u00a0<\/span>rampart to obtain a charcoal sample for dating the hillfort\u2019s last fire and refining the end of its period of use.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Areas excavated in 2025 are marked in yellow. <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The courtyard excavation yielded several Late Iron Age artefacts, including pottery, flint pieces, beads (including a gold-foil bead<\/span>)<\/span>\u00a0and animal bones. In the deeper layers of the trench, a shallow pit filled with stones and a possible post-hole were revealed, which may\u00a0<\/span>indicate<\/span>\u00a0a former structure or temporary\u00a0<\/span>building<\/span>, although their function\u00a0<\/span>remains<\/span>\u00a0unclear. Similar pits have also been\u00a0<\/span>observed<\/span>\u00a0in J\u00fcri Peets\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>previous<\/span>\u00a0studies.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Finds from the Lihulinn hillfort uncovered during the 2025 investigations. <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Possible stylus from the Lihulinn hillfort.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In most places, the natural layer has been reached in 30 cm, but one section descends deeper as a stone-filled hollow. <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The stone-filled hollow was excavated in several stages to ensure nothing important would be missed. <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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From the rampart trench, charcoal samples were obtained that make it possible to date the hillfort\u2019s last fire. Based on preliminary results, it can be said that the rampart is made of stones and sand, and on top of it there was some form of wooden fortification.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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A narrow trench was made across the rampart to determine the time of the hillfort\u2019s last fire.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The\u00a0K\u00e4rla\u00a0hillfort, also known as\u00a0Lihulinn, is the largest prehistoric stronghold\u00a0in\u00a0Saaremaa. It\u00a0is in\u00a0Western Saaremaa, only two kilometres northeast of Lake\u00a0Karuj\u00e4rv. The hillfort measures approximately 270 metres northwest\u2013southeast and 170 metres northeast\u2013southwest, with an estimated courtyard area of 1.8\u00a0ha. In constructing the stronghold, natural sand dunes were used, upon which powerful ramparts were built, rising 7\u201310 metres above …<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[267,1558],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-37393","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-https-osiliana-com-en-page_id8881previewtrue","category-karla-lihulinn"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/osiliana.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37393","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/osiliana.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/osiliana.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/osiliana.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/osiliana.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37393"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/osiliana.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37393\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37405,"href":"https:\/\/osiliana.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37393\/revisions\/37405"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/osiliana.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37393"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/osiliana.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37393"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/osiliana.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37393"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}