Asva, Bronze Age fortified settlement in Saaremaa Rural Municipality, Estonia
Asva is a fortified settlement from the Bronze Age located on the island of Saaremaa in Estonia. The site displays ancient structures with preserved earthworks and multiple building layers that show early defensive construction and daily life patterns.
The settlement was founded during the Bronze Age and remained inhabited until the 13th century, with excavations showing continuous occupation across different periods. This long timeline spans from the earliest metalworking era through the Viking age.
The site shows traces of an ancient metalworking community with clay molds and bronze remnants scattered throughout. These remains suggest that craftspeople worked here over many generations and traded goods with distant regions.
The site is accessible from Saaremaa by local roads and is best visited during the warmer months. Local tourism offices can provide current information about site access and any guided tour options that may be available.
Excavations uncovered around two thousand clay molds and a rare elk horn plow blade from the ancient layers. These discoveries reveal forgotten metalworking techniques and early farming methods that once thrived here.
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