Location
State: Latvia
Region: Riga
County: Tukums
Parish: Irlava
Other references to the location
In the yard of the Vallieši homestead, SW from the Vallieši residential house.
Coordinates
lat=56.9163888889, lon=22.9891666667
56° 54′ 59″ N, 22° 59′ 21″ E
Description
The Vallieši Idol’s Hill is distantly visible relief elevation on the right side of the Abava River valley. The hill covered with decidous trees and thick undergrowth surmounts the closest surroundings by about 15 m, however, in the relatively even vicinity the Idol’s Hill is visible from a far distance. The hill is sligtly longish in the SW – NE direction and the side slopes are steeper than the end slopes. On the NE slope the Valieši homestead has been built by considerably changing the relief; from this side the hill is in a full view. On the very top of the mountain there used to be a windmill called the Idol’s Mill which was demolished during World War I. Now the top of the hill is free of trees and bushes; there are several apple-trees from the Vallieši orchard. No ancient modifications have been found in the hill, however there are hints suggesting that there was a ditch at the foot of the hill, however, it is not visible there. On October 22, 1941, the Vallieši landlord showed archeologist P. Stepiņš the place at the SW foot of the hill where an oak stump had been visible around which antiquities as if had been found during plowing. On the W side of the hill, however, a spur and bronze duck had been ploughed up. The landlord said then that the “ancient Latvians had assembled on the hill to pray to the God”. In the Vallieši Idol’s Hill or its vicinity a unique antique for Latvia’s bronze age had been found – a bronze belt buckle, however, its connection with the Vallieši Idol’s Hill or its sacred function has not been proved. Archeologist A. Vasks has devoted a separate publication to the bronze belt buckle (A. Vasks. The Belt Buckle of the Bronze Age. Archaeologist Dr.hist., Dr.hist. h.c. Jānis Apals. Biobibliograhpy, Colleague Dedication to the 70th Anniversary. Compiled by A. Caune. Rīga: Publishing House of the Institute of Latvian History, 2000, pp.109-113). Near the Vallieši Idol’s Hill there is the Ķīši Hill Fort as well as other places of archeological significance.
Attraction
Unattractive
Availability
In the territory of a private house
Infrastructure, management, facilities
Access to the very yard of the residential house, no other facilities.
Local info
None
Capacity
0 – 9
Publicity
Unknown
Legal Status
Private
Comments
The very top of the Vallieši Idol’s Hill is clean and empty. There is an apple orchard, a little used shed and various scraps. Active agricultural activities take place in the Vallieši homestead. In order to reach the top of the Idol’s Hill the visitor should pass through the homestead. There are no signs or directions to the Idol’s Hill.
