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Infortification architecture, arampart is a length ofembankment orwall forming part of the defensive boundary of acastle,hillfort,settlement or other fortified site. It is usually broad-topped and made of excavated earth and/ormasonry.[1][2]
The composition and design of ramparts varied from the simple mounds of earth and stone, known as dump ramparts, to more complex earth and timber defences (box ramparts and timberlaced ramparts), as well as ramparts with stone revetments.[2] One particular type, common in Central Europe, used earth, stone and timber posts to form aPfostenschlitzmauer or "post-slot wall".Vitrified ramparts were composed of stone that was subsequently fired, possibly to increase its strength.[2]
Many types of early fortification, fromprehistory through to theEarly Middle Ages, employed earth ramparts usually in combination with externalditches to defend the outer perimeter of a fortified site or settlement.[2]Hillforts,ringforts or "raths" andringworks all made use of ditch and rampart defences, and they are the characteristic feature ofcircular ramparts. The ramparts could be reinforced and raised in height by the use ofpalisades. This type of arrangement was a feature of themotte and bailey castle of northern Europe in the early medieval period.
During theclassical era, societies became sophisticated enough to create tall ramparts of stone or brick, provided with a platform orwall walk for the defenders to hurl missiles from and aparapet to protect them from the missiles thrown by attackers. Well known examples of classical stone ramparts includeHadrian's Wall and theWalls of Constantinople.
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After thefall of the Western Roman Empire, there was a return to the widespread use of earthwork ramparts which lasted well into the 11th century, an example is theNormanmotte and bailey castle. As castle technology evolved during theMiddle Ages andEarly Modern times, ramparts continued to form part of the defences, but now they tended to consist of thick walls withcrenellated parapets.[3]Fieldworks, however, continued to make use of earth ramparts due to their relatively temporary nature.
Elements of a rampart in a stone castle or town wall from the 11th to 15th centuries included:
In response to the introduction ofartillery, castle ramparts began to be built with much thicker walling and a lower profile, one of earliest examples first beingRavenscraig Castle in Scotland which was built in 1460.[5] In the first half of the 16th century, the solid masonry walls began to be replaced by earthen banks, sometimes faced with stone, which were better able to withstand the impact of shot; the earth being obtained from theditch which was dug in front of the rampart. At the same time, the plan or "trace" of these ramparts began to be formed into angular projections calledbastions which allowed the guns mounted on them to create zones ofinterlocking fire.[6] This bastion system became known as thetrace italienne because Italian engineers had been at the forefront of its development, although it was later perfected in northern Europe by engineers such asVan Coehoorn andVauban and was the dominant style of fortification until the mid-19th century.
Elements of a rampart in an artillery fortification from the 16th to 19th centuries included:
As well as the immediate archaeological significance of such ramparts in indicating the development of military tactics and technology, these sites often enclose areas of historical significance that point to the local conditions at the time the fortress was built.[2]
