It was discovered around 250 years ago that some of the rock material in the walls of some hillforts had been subjected to such high temperature that it had vitrified. This prompted a debate as to the reason for it that is still going on today: did the vitrification come about as a result of hostile action, by accident, or for the purpose of constructing the fort? The present paper is based on the prerequisite that hillforts are different, and therefore should be evaluated individually. All identifiable factors of interest should be included, and especially those that might disprove any alternative. Thus, incentives, competence and petrographic aspects were evaluated for the hillfort Broborg (dated Migration Period, in Sweden A.D. 400 - 550), and it is concluded that the vitrification came about for the purpose of constructing the fort. This capability was lost when mortar was introduced half a millennium later.
Published: May 27, 2022
Citation
Sjoblom R., E. Hjärthner-Holder, C.I. Pearce, J.L. Weaver, E. Ogenhall, J.S. McCloy, and J. Marcial, et al. 2022.Assessment of the reason for the vitrification of a wall at a hillfort. The example of Broborg in Sweden.Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 43.PNNL-SA-161025.doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103459