A circular rampart (German: ''Ringwall'') is an embankment built in the shape of a circle that was used as part of the defences for a military fortification, hill fort or refuge, or was built for religious purposes or as a place of gathering. The period during which these structures were built ranged from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages.

Construction

The key feature of a circular rampart is that the

embankment Embankment may refer to: Geology and geography * A levee, an artificial bank raised above the immediately surrounding land to redirect or prevent flooding by a river, lake or sea * Embankment (earthworks), a raised bank to carry a road, railwa ...

formed the primary element of the defensive fortification. It can be constructed in various ways: as a simple earth embankment, as a wood and earth structure, or as a wall. Circular ramparts usually have a

moat A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that is dug and surrounds a castle, fortification, building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive ...

or ditch in front of them; the embankment can be enhanced with a wooden

palisade A palisade, sometimes called a stakewall or a paling, is typically a fence or defensive wall made from iron or wooden stakes, or tree trunks, and used as a defensive structure or enclosure. Palisades can form a stockade. Etymology ''Palisade' ...

. Often several concentric rings were built, which produced a more effective defensive position against attackers. The interior of such sites often shows evidence of buildings such as halls, barns, and other secondary structures.

Locations

Circular ramparts are found in north and western Europe, for example, in Denmark, Estonia,

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

, Germany, Great Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands; in central Europe, in Austria and

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

; in southeastern Europe in Romania, Moldova and Ukraine;Cucuteni-Trypillian culture#Settlements and also in the United States. They are often hidden in woods and discovered by aerial photography. Archaeological profiles through the defences and excavations of the interior enable analysis of the period the site was occupied, the pottery used and the type of food consumed.

Notable circular ramparts

* Viale Beatrice d'Este, Milan, italy * Aggersborg, near Aggersund, Denmark * Circular rampart of Burg, near

Celle Celle () is a town and capital of the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. The town is situated on the banks of the river Aller, a tributary of the Weser, and has a population of about 71,000. Celle is the southern gateway to the Lü ...

, Lower Saxony, Germany * The

Donnersberg The Donnersberg ("thunder mountain") is the highest peak of the Palatinate (german: Pfalz) region of Germany. The mountain lies between the towns of Rockenhausen and Kirchheimbolanden, in the Donnersbergkreis district, which is named after the m ...

, near Rockenhausen, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany *

Castle Dore Castle Dore is an Iron Age hill fort (ringfort) near Fowey in Cornwall, United Kingdom located at . It was probably occupied from the 5th or 4th centuries BC until the 1st century BC. It consists of two ditches surrounding a circular ar ...

, Cornwall, England * Fyrkat, Denmark *

Gråborg Gråborg is the ruin of a castle in Öland, Sweden. It is located in Algutsrum parish in Mörbylånga Municipality. The oldest parts of the ancient castle are probably from the 5th century. The castle was expanded in stages into the 12th century. ...

, built in stages between years 500–1100, Öland, Sweden * The Heidenmauer near Bad Dürkheim, Germany * Nanih Waiya, a Choctaw mound,

Winston County Winston County is the name of two counties in the United States: * Winston County, Alabama Winston County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 23,540. Its county seat is Double Springs. Known as H ...

, USA * The circular rampart at

Old Basing Old Basing is a village in Hampshire, England, just east of Basingstoke. It was called ''Basengum'' in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and ''Basinges'' in the Domesday Book. Etymology The root ''Bas'' derives from the Latin word '' basilīa'' - the no ...

, Hampshire, England *

Celtic circular wall of Otzenhausen The Celtic hill fort of Otzenhausen is one of the biggest fortifications the Celts ever constructed. It was built by Gauls of the Treveri tribe, who lived in the region north of the fort. The fort is located on top of the ''Dollberg'', a hill near ...

, Saarland, Germany * Saxon rampart on the Marienberg near Nordstemmen, Germany * Viking ring fortress of Trelleborg, Sweden * Varbola Stronghold largest circular rampart fortress built in Estonia (10th – 12th century)

References

Literature

* Orser, Charles E., ''Encyclopedia of historical archaeology'', Routledge, 11 April 2002, * Shoemaker, Nancy, ''American Indians'', WileyBlackwell, 1 October 2000,

External links