Weir ditch (fortification)

A weir trench is a protective structure and an approach barrier for a fortification .

In addition to ramparts , hedges and palisades, ditches have been used as protection since the development of permanent settlements began . Trenches can also be found in field fortifications .

Defense trenches are typically created so wide and deep that they cannot be easily overcome by an attacker. Usually they are staggered in depth with other obstacles to approach. Historically they belong to the military sappers , today they belong generally to the tasks of the pioneer troops .

Forms of technical execution are:

• Dry weir ditch
• Moat

Special use cases are, for example:

• Castle moat , an obstacle to approaching a medieval castle
• Fortress moat , an approach barrier in front of a fortress
• City moat , an obstacle to approaching a fortified city
• Trenches , as cover for the infantry
• Anti-tank trenches , cover for heavy mobile artillery

Historical specialties:

• Roman moat - at ancient Roman fortifications
• Landwehr , Landgraben - a fortified border

literature

• Reinhard Friedrich: Dig. In: Horst Wolfgang Böhme , Reinhard Friedrich, Barbara Schock-Werner (Hrsg.): Dictionary of castles, palaces and fortresses . Reclam, Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 3-15-010547-1 , pp. 145-146, doi: 10.11588 / arthistoricum.535 .