Šatrija is a hill and a

hillfort A hillfort is a type of fortification, fortified refuge or defended settlement located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typical of the late Bronze Age Europe, European Bronze Age and Iron Age Europe, Iron Age. So ...

in the

Samogitia Samogitia, often known by its Lithuanian language, Lithuanian name ''Žemaitija'' (Samogitian language, Samogitian: ''Žemaitėjė''; see Samogitia#Etymology and alternative names, below for alternative and historical names) is one of the five ...

region of

Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...

, near the village,

Luokė Luokė (Samogitian language, Samogitian: ''Loukė'') is a town in Telšiai County, Lithuania. According to the 2011 census, the town has a population of 629 people. The Church of All Saints, Luokė, Church of All Saints is located in the town. Luo ...

'' seniūnija'',

Telšiai District Municipality Telšiai District Municipality (, Samogitian: ''Telšiū rajuona savivaldībė'') is one of 60 municipalities in Lithuania, containing the city of Telšiai Telšiai (; Samogitian language, Samogitian: ''Telšē'') is a city in Lithuania with ...

."Jie slėpė ir gynė žemaičius"
"ŽEMAIČIŲ ŽEMĖS" Magazine, 2004, no. 3 It is part of the Šatrija Landscape Reserve. The hill is in height and was formed during the last glacial period.

Archaeology

It is an

archeological site An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology an ...

no. A1939K and a registered

cultural monument A national heritage site is a heritage site having a value that has been registered by a governmental agency as being of national importance to the cultural heritage or history of that country. Usually such sites are listed in a heritage registe ...

no. AR1199 of Lithuania with the official names "Pašatrijos piliakalnis su gyvenviete" ašatrija Hillfort with Settlementand "Luokės piliakalnis" uokė Hillfort The first excavations started in 1835, and the site was dated by the 1st millennium BCE. A wooden castle stood on its top at some time in 14th century. Researchers think that before the

Christianization of Lithuania The Christianization of Lithuania () occurred in 1387, initiated by the Lithuanian royals Jogaila, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, and his cousin Vytautas the Great. It signified the official adoption of Catholic Christianity by Li ...

, an important pagan temple was located on the hill.

Name

The origin of the name is associated with a legend that this was the place of Samogitia's

witches' Sabbath A Witches' Sabbath is a purported gathering of those believed to practice witchcraft and other rituals. The phrase became especially popular in the 20th century. Origin of the phrase The most infamous and influential work of witch-hunting lor ...

. One day they danced too long, until the roosters' crows. All witches quickly flew away, but one misplaced her

besom A besom () is a broom, a household implement used for sweeping. The term is mostly reserved for a traditional broom constructed from a bundle of twigs tied to a stout pole. The twigs used could be broom (i.e. '' Genista'', from which comes the ...

(on which witches fly) and started running around shouting "Where is my ''šatra''?", hence the name (šatra is a twig from a besom)."Šatrija hillfort"
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Satrija Hill forts in Lithuania Telšiai District Municipality Hills of Lithuania

Archaeology

Name

See also

References