If you've ever wondered what the ancient Finnish or other Finno-Ugric hillforts looked like, of which often nothing but a couple of portal stones remain, then here's some good news.

There is ample reason to believe that the fortification seen in this 1898 photograph (top; colorized) taken by U. T. Sirelius in Khanty territory in the Vasyugan region of Siberia is fairly close to e.g. ancient Finnish ones.

Saitpa nei'on, voitit vallan,
Sorrit jo sotiveräjät,
Langetit jo lautalinnan.

— SKVR VII2 3003. Ilomantsi, Europaeus, D. E. D. H, n. 201. 1845.

[ You won the maiden, won dominion;
you crushed the battle-gates,
you brought down the plank-built fortress. ]

Lower-left photo: the "battle-gates", lower-right photo: Hakastaro hill, the site of an ancient hillfort. Photos by Leif Rajalin.

[ Wäinölä 🇫🇮 ]