Category: Vitrified Fort

Castercliff Hill Fort

This denuded hillfort is oval and encloses almost two acres. The defences comprise triple circuits of bank and ditch, with scarps representing outworks to the NE. The innermost bank is the slightest and may represent an earlier, univallate fort.

Barry Hill Fort

‘The most prominent feature of this site is the ruin of a very large and strong wall, originally timber-laced and now partly vitrified, forming and enclosure of regular plan with parallel sides and semicircular ends, area about 0.2 hectares.

Arka Unskel Fort

Arka Unskel is 2½ miles ESE of Arisaig at NM693839 and has also been known as Ard Ghaunsgoik and Ard Ghamhgail. Described as on a promontory on the north side of Loch nan Uamh with a heavily vitrified wall.

Castle Hill, Almondbury

An image illustrating an article about Vitified Forts – Group Home on thealicesyndrome.com

Underneath these medieval earthworks is a series of earlier defenses which dates back to the early Iron Age. This was the building which burned down and it is regarded as one of Yorkshire’s most important early Iron Age hill forts, it is one of Yorkshires true multi-valet hill forts and gives the impression of a tribal capital of a significant region, given the lack of similar hill forts in the region.

Vitified Forts – Group Home

An image illustrating an article about Vitified Forts – Group Home on thealicesyndrome.com

A group for discussions and research input on the subject of Vitrified Forts

Finavon, Angus

Finavon, Angus . Finavon Hill has attracted a great deal of archaeological interest from antiquarians and archaeologists over the years especially since it displayed traces of vitrified rock. It was planned 100 years ago by David Christison and was subject to extensive excavations undertaken by Prof. Gordon Childe between 1933-5. That the fort had been …

Continue reading

Vitrified Forts Distribution

Georgraphic Distribution One of the great mysteries of classical archaeology is the spartan worldwide distribution of vitrified forts with the exception of Scotland.. Scotland There are at least 50 such forts throughout Scotland. Among the most well-known are Dunnideer, Craig Phadraig (near Inverness), Abernathy (near Perth), Dun Lagaidh (in Ross), Cromarty, Arka-Unskel, Eilean na Goar, …

Continue reading

Why Vitrify a Fort?

Why was it done and by whom? Practical reasons? Originally it was thought that the forts had become vitrified due to an enemy attack. A theory proposed by Childe in the 1930 thought it was that it was invaders, not the builders, who were assaulting the forts and then setting fire to the walls with …

Continue reading

How to Vitrify a Fort

Vitrification of Hill Forts The Vitrification process Vitrification as seen in hillforts is where the surface of the rampart has been heated to temperature that the stone has melted and bonded with its neighboring stone. In some cases forming a glassy surface. The theoretical and limited practical attempts to recreate vitrification have largely been inconclusive, …

Continue reading

Classification of Vitrified Forts

Exploration of vitrified fort classification Currently, there is a single grouping of vitrified forts, it is our contention that in reality only a few forts should be classified as such, and that analysis would be helped if this classification was further refined. In order to perform better asnalysis of vitrified forts, it will be neccesary …

Continue reading

Contact Us
close slider

    What is 7 + 4 ?