The hill has overgrown with a thick mixed tree forest where trees of various ages can be found, among them a secular oak (circumference 4.82 m) on the W slope of the highest part of the hill. On the lowest part of the hill there is no wood, but rather a meadow. On the highest part of the hill the plateau is 30 x 60 metres large, even, on its S side 2 m below the plateau there are traces of a terrace. On the top of the S slope of the highest part of the hill there is a trench from the war. Altogether the hill is approximately 6 m high in relation to the spring running on the E side of the hill and considerably higher in relation to the Vārtāja River. The hill could still be studied to find out its role in ancient times — it could have been an ancient cult site, which is suggested by its name, a refuge or a temporarily populated hillfort which is suggested by its trimming as well as both of the roles together.
Local people call the Idols’ Hill and its surroundings Idols’ Land. About 70 m S from the Idols’ Hill there is a very peculiar and old secular linden with the circumference 4.30 m. The peculiar feature of the linden is its slanting location at the side of a spring valley. The trunk is very much slanting towards E, moreover, the trunk is hollow as it is common with old trees. It is thought that the strange slant of the linden is due to the strong western winds.
The surroundings of the Gravenieki Idols’ Hill are little populated, however, picturesque.
Archive of the “Cult Identity” project
