Hill
For other uses, see The Hill (disambiguation) and Hill (disambiguation).A
hill is a
landform which has a distinct summit that extends above the surrounding terrain, in a limited area.
The distinction between a hill and a
mountain is unclear and largely subjective, but a hill is generally somewhat lower and less steep than a mountain. In the
United Kingdom it is popularly believed that the
Ordnance Survey defines a "mountain" as a peak greater than 1000
feet (305
meters) above sea level, a belief which forms the basis of the film
The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain; in fact the OS maintains no such distinction today. [
1] The
Oxford English Dictionary, by contrast, suggests a limit of 2000 ft (610 m). Mountains in
Scotland are frequently referred to as "hills" no matter what their height, as reflected in names such as the
Cuillin Hills and the
Torridon Hills.
Hills may form through a number of
geomorphic phenomena:
faulting,
erosion of larger landforms, and movement and deposition of
sediment by
glaciers (eg.
morraines and
drumlins, or by erosion exposing solid rock which then weathers down into a hill. The rounded peaks of hills results from the
diffusive movement of
soil and
regolith covering the hill, a process known as
downhill creep.
Many areas that would otherwise have hills do not because of glacier cover during the
Ice Age. The contrast between the extreme plains of northern
Indiana, and the extreme hilliness of southern Indiana is a result of this.
There are various specific names used to describe particular types of hill, based on appearance and method of formation. Many such names originated in one geographical region to describe a type of hill formation peculiar to that region, though the names are often adopted by
geologists and used in a wider geographical context. These include:
*
Drumlin – an elongated whale-shaped hill formed by glacial action.
*
Butte – an isolated hill with steep sides and a small flat top, formed by weathering.
*
Tor – a rock formation found on a hilltop; also used to refer to the hill itself, especially in
South West England.
*
Puy – used especially in the
Auvergne,
France, to describe a conical
volcanic hill.
*
Pingo – a mound of earth-covered ice found in the
Arctic and
Antarctica.
Hills have played an important role in history.
Many settlements were originally built on hills, either to avoid or curb floods, particularly if they were near a large body of water, or for defence, since they offer a good view of the surrounding land and require would-be attackers to fight uphill. For example,
Ancient Rome was
built on seven hills, protecting it from invaders.
In northern Europe, many ancient monuments are sited on hills. Some of these are defensive structures (such as the hill-forts of the Iron Age), but others appear to have had a religious significance. In Britain, many churches at the tops of hills are thought to have been built on the sites of earlier pagan holy places. The
National Cathedral in
Washington, DC has followed this tradition and was built on the highest hill in that city.
The
American Indians also often laid many of the deceased on a site and then covered it with dirt, creating a hill-like feature called a
mound. These burial grounds are in general called
tumuli and can be found all over the world.
Hills provide a major advantage to an army, giving them an elevated firing position and forcing an opposing army to charge uphill to attack them. As a result, conventional military strategies often demand possession of high ground. Hills have become sites for many famous battles, including
the Battle of Bunker Hill (which was actually fought from
Breed's Hill) in the
American War for Independence and
Cemetery Hill and
Culp's Hill in the
Battle of Gettysburg, the turning point of the
American Civil War. The
Battle of San Juan Hill in the
Spanish-American War won Americans control of
Santiago. The
Battle of Alesia was also fought from a hilltop
fort.
The terrain is often made more rugged and hilly on
golf courses to make the holes harder to play. For example, the hole may be located at the top of a hill, and the course is designed specifically to make it almost impossible to allow the
golf ball to rest near the top; it would roll down, and the player would have to try again. Some homes and even
college campuses (almost always in
rural areas) often keep or make hills for a more scenic atmosphere.
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Some hills can be quite small, such as this Ant-hill. |
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Colluvium*
Crag and tail*
Dune*
Jack and Jill (song)*
Kame*
King of the Hill (game)*
List of famous hills*
Marilyn (hill)*
Mountain*
Tell
