Burg auf dem Ehinger Berg, Carolingian hillfort in Ehingen, Germany
Burg auf dem Ehinger Berg is a Carolingian fortification built on a hilltop near Ehingen with a rectangular layout measuring approximately 60 by 110 meters. The site still shows remains of walls between the main fortress and an outer bailey, though the western area bears marks from historical stone quarrying.
The rampart and ditch were built in the Carolingian period, as finds on the ditch floor show. A 1913 excavation recorded a triangular outwork in front of the western outer bailey, and a 1912 sketch marks a gate on the south side of the main fort. A section cut through the southeast rampart revealed a 5–6 m wooden frame filled with limestone rubble and faced with limestone slabs.
Small finds from the site, such as keys, lock parts and door and chest fittings, indicate the fort was used over a longer period rather than only as a temporary refuge. The name Ehinger Berg refers to the middle section of the Hesselberg ridge above the village of Ehingen.
The site sits atop a hill, requiring a climb to reach the remains and walk around the different sections. Visitors should take time to observe the ground layout and wall outlines while noting that different areas show varying degrees of preservation.
Graves discovered here in the 1930s contained thorn-shaped arrowheads that pointed to the presence of Hungarian mounted warriors at the site. This finding suggests the location became caught up in turbulent periods marked by invasions from the east.
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