Bilivsʹke horodyshche (Biliv Hillfort)

Archaeological Monument of National Importance

Rivne Oblast, Zoria Territorial Community (Hromada), southward of Biliv village, on the cape of the right high bank of the Stubly River

50.68518, 25.96879

32,5 km

According to the relevant archaeological sources, the Biliv Hillfort dates back to the 10th – 11th centuries. There was a hillfort complex, which included a fortification, a settlement and a burial mound. At the turn of the 11th – 12th centuries the Biliv Hillfort began to decline.

The hillfort has been known since the end of the 19th century. The archaeological reconnaissance of P. Rappoport in 1960 and excavations conducted by V. Aulikh in 1966 revealed new materials for the characteristics of the site. The study of P. Rappoport indicated that the fortifications found in the Biliv Hillfort were built in the second half or at the end of the 10th century. Archaeological finds show that the fortress was most actively used in the 11th century. There was a large settlement of the 10th-11th centuries near the hillfort. B. Pryshchepa and V. Tersky discovered this settlement in the 1980s. In the 12th century, the Biliv Fortress fell into disrepair and has not ever been revived.

The fortress was built on the edge of the cape, which is bounded on the west by the river floodplain, on the south by steep slopes, on the other sides by an arched moat up to 25 m wide and up to 7 m deep. The hillfort site rises above the river floodplain by 25 – 26 m, it has an irregular shape (45×80 m), the perimeter is surrounded by a rampart, the height of which is 5 m on the field-facing side, whereas on other sides it rises above the site by 1.5 – 2.0 m. The western and northern sections of the shaft are damaged by trenches. In the trenches made by V. Aulikh the Slavic Kyivan Rus cultural layer laid at a depth of 0.8-1.2 m, while the mainland forest was discovered at a depth of 1.2-1.6 m. The archaeologists explored a half-dugout used for accommodation with a clay stove, two land-based stoves, and household pits.

Historic reference: Oleksii Voitiuk, photograph and video: Yurii Oitsius