Location and description

The hillfort is located to the west from the buildings of Staświny village, between the eastern shore of Wojnowo lake, and the shore of Staświnki river. Defensive complex in Staświny is of shape of an elongated triangle directed with its apex to the South. On the northern end of the hillfort there is a defensive rampart, with an external height of 4 m. The entire length of the structure equals ca. 250 m. Starting with a rampart, maidan of the hillfort is sunk arch-like and after ca. 130 m again raises to the height of approx. 2 m. The southern part of the hillfort, separated in such manner, is ca. 115 m in length.

History

The hill fort is known in the local tradition as Święta Góra. The oldest phase of functioning in this part of the hillfort connected with the inhabitants of West Baltic Barrows, falls in an early Iron Age. Another phase of use of the structure was during migrations of people. The youngest phase should be connected with early Middle Ages.

The oldest information on the structure dates back to 1661-1671, when the hillfort was indicated on the map of the court measurer of the Duchy of Prussia - Józef Naronowicz-Naroński. The hillfort also played its role during Swedish Deluge in February 1657, which was noted during archaeological studies by finding 35 bullets for the muskets. Ca. 1861 hillfort rampart was severely damages and became an easily accessible place for acquiring stones for the construction of roads and some of the houses in the village. During First World War in the northern part of the western hill of the structure a shelter was built. During excavations also the traces of trenches were noted, which were probably an element of the resistance of the field reinforcements of the Boyen Fortress in Giżycko.

Condition and results of archaeological research

As a subject area for scientific research, the hillfort in Staświny was first time identified by Johan Guise in 1820s in first inventory of Prussian hillforts. First excavations in the structure were carried out in 1881 by a local teacher and they referred to a defensive rampart located in the northern part of the site. Subsequent studies were carried out in 1922 and 1923. Then it was established that the hilfort on Święta Góra was settled for a long time. After Second World War, in 1949, Jerzy Antoniewicz conducted first surface surveys in the hillfort. In 1978, Office for Research and Documentation of Monuments in Suwałki conducted surveys, in the northern part of the structure. Apart from the fragments of ceramic vessels and animal bones the remains of a hearth were noted. Subsequent excavations took place in 2005 and they were conducted by Małgorzata and Maciej Karczewscy on behalf of the University in Białystok. Then the chronology of the site was indicated and its history after the period of use as a hillfort.

Limited access to the historic building. Fenced structure.

Compiled by Adam Mackiewicz, 6.12.2014.

Bibliography

• Karczewska M., Karczewski M., Grodzisko Święta Góra w Staświnach w Krainie Wielkich Jezior Mazurskich, Archeologia archiwalna i nowa, „Komunikaty Mazursko-Warmińskie” nr 2(256), 2007, s.131-163