rampart
rampart [Co].Technically an elongated bank or wall forming the defensive boundary of an enclosure. Most ramparts are associated with external ditches that provide an extra component of the defensive structure. The construction of ramparts varies considerably from simple mounds of earth and stone (dump ramparts) to elaborate structures involving timber frameworks (box ramparts and timber-laced ramparts), and stone revetted walls. Sometimes a stone rampart may be deliberately burnt to increase its strength and stability (vitrified ramparts). The size of many prehistoric and later ramparts means that they frequently preserve substantial areas of old ground surface that reflect local conditions in the period up to the time the rampart was built.
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