The Otolovo Hillfort: early iron age ironworking in the headwaters of the Western Dvina river
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24852/2587-6112.2026.3.147.160Keywords:
archaeology, Early Iron Age, hillfort, Dnieper‑Dvina culture, radiocarbon dating, ceramics, bloom, slag, pechina (clay lining of ancient smelting furnaces), ironworkingAbstract
The article presents the preliminary results of a comprehensive study of the Otolovo hillfort (Penovsky Municipal District, Tver Oblast), located in the upper reaches of the Western Dvina River – a newly discovered archaeological monument of the Early Iron Age. During the research, modern methods were applied: laser scanning using LiDAR technology, X‑ray fluorescence analysis (XRF), and AMS dating. Based on radiocarbon dating data (280 cal BC – 200 cal AD), as well as the results of ceramic material analysis and evidence of metallurgical activity, the hillfort has been attributed to the Dnieper‑Dvina culture. The discovered indicators of ironworking – slag, bloom, and pechina (clay lining of ancient smelting furnaces) – provide evidence of an increase in the productive activity of the region’s population at the transition from BC to AD. A connection has been noted between the growing number of archaeological sites and the Roman climatic optimum, while the small number of known settlements is associated with their possible flooding or waterlogging.
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