Lathene Settlement in Devín

At the end of the 2nd century BC, the Lathene settlement in the confluence of the Danube and Morava rivers was reinforced by a part of the Boii Celtic tribe. The settlement on the Devín castle hill together with the oppidum in Bratislava and the Braunsberg site over the Danube river represented a triangle of important late Lathene centres in the area of the Gate of Pressburg. Around the second half of the 1st century BC, Boii started to be threaten by Dacians who destroyed the oppidum in Bratislava. However, the Devín hillfort survived and could take over some of its functions. Sporadic local findings of the Dacian ceramics confirm that Celts and Dacians were living together in the first decades of our era. How did the Celtic forthill in Devín look like? The fortification was not duly documented; however, it is supposed that at least the northern side of the castle site was fortified. Lathene findings come from the whole area of the castle hill. One room above-ground and partly embedded dwellings made of logs or piles and storage pits have been mostly preserved. Jeweller’s and locksmith’s shops have also been documented. Based on multiple findings, we can believe that millstones were made here too.