Preliminary communication

https://doi.org/10.33254/aia.21.1.11

From Prehistoric hillforts to late medieval strongholds: case studies from the Kalnik foothills and Bilogora

Tatjana Tkalčec orcid.org/0000-0003-3963-7706 ; Institute of Archaeology, Zagreb, Croatia *
Bartul Šiljeg orcid.org/0000-0003-2286-7775 ; Institute of Archaeology, Zagreb, Croatia

* Corresponding author.

Abstract

This paper presents several examples of prehistoric and medieval fortified hilltop settlements located in the Kalnik foothills and Bilogora region, oriented toward communication with the Drava River plain. These sites include prehistoric Late Bronze Age hillforts that were potentially used as fortifi cations during the Early to High Middle Ages (Apatovec – Gradec) and were certainly utilized as strongholds in the Late Middle Ages (Prkos – Gradina, Čepelovac – Gradina). In addition to these previously documented sites, data is presented on the newly discovered hillfort of Veliki Botinovac – Starka, which dates to the Late Bronze Age or possibly the Early Iron Age. The paper discusses topographic features as well as construction interventions identified through field surveys and LiDAR imagery. These are examined from the perspective of similarities and differences in the utilization of natural landscape features and anthropogenic terrain adaptations during prehistory and the Middle Ages.

Keywords

: prehistoric hillfort; late medieval stronghold; Apatovec – Gradec; Veliki Botinovac – Starka; Prkos – Gradina; Čepelovac – Gradina; Late Bronze Age; Late Middle Ages

Hrčak ID:

342675

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/342675

Publication date:

30.12.2025.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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