Skällberget is a
prehistoric
Prehistory, also called pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the first known use of stone tools by hominins million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use o ...
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
Siuntio
Siuntio (; ) is a municipality in the Uusimaa region of Southern Finland. Its neighboring municipalities are Ingå to the west, Kirkkonummi to the east, Lohja to the north-west, and Vihti to the north. It is west of Helsinki.
As of 2021, the p ...
in
Uusimaa
Uusimaa (; , ; both lit. 'new land') is a region of Finland. It borders the regions of Southwest Finland, Tavastia Proper (Kanta-Häme), Päijänne Tavastia (Päijät-Häme), and Kymenlaakso. Finland's capital and largest city, Helsinki, alo ...
region,
Finland
Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...
. The archaeological site, located across the road from the medieval
St. Peter's Church, is protected by law. A nature trail leads to the top of the hill.
[{{Cite web , date=2009-06-23 , title=Museiverket vårdar fornminnesområden , url=https://yle.fi/a/7-330022 , access-date=2024-06-19 , website=Svenska Yle , language=sv]
Description
The hillfort on top of Skällberget Hill was originally located by a waterway when it was constructed either during the late
Iron Age
The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...
or early
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
. Due to the
post-glacial rebound
Post-glacial rebound (also called isostatic rebound or crustal rebound) is the rise of land masses after the removal of the huge weight of ice sheets during the last glacial period, which had caused isostatic depression. Post-glacial rebound an ...
the shoreline of the
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...
has moved further away from the area causing the hillfort not to be located by a sea shore anymore. The hillfort consists of a small area on top of Skällberget Hill with a protective wall built of stones and ground on the southern side of the hill. The eastern part of the hill consists of steep cliffs. No permanent structures, apart from the wall, have most likely existed on Skällberget. It is believed that the fort functions as a guard post or a refuge site in a case of an hostile attack to the area.
The hillfort has even a small burial site inside of it.
Gallery
File:Skällberget hill fort.jpg, Top of the hillfort.
File:Skällberget hill fort 2.jpg, Eastern cliff of the hillfort.
File:Skällberget hill fort 4.jpg, Eastern cliff of the hillfort.
See Also
*
Krejansberget
*
Ekeberga Burial Site
References
Siuntio
Archaeological sites in Finland
Landforms of Uusimaa
History of Uusimaa
Historic sites in Finland
Buildings and structures in Uusimaa
Iron Age Scandinavia