archaeology Archaeology or archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of Artifact (archaeology), artifacts, architecture, biofact (archaeology), biofacts or ecofacts, ...

, a linear earthwork is a long bank of earth, sometimes with a ditch alongside. There may also be a

palisade A palisade, sometimes called a stakewall or a paling, is typically a row of closely placed, high vertical standing tree trunks or wooden or iron stakes used as a fence for enclosure or as a defensive wall. Palisades can form a stockade. Etymo ...

along the top of the bank. Linear earthworks may have a ditch alongside which provides the source of earth for the bank and an extra obstacle. There may be a single ditch, a ditch on both sides or no ditch at all. Earthworks range in length from a few tens of metres to more than 80 km. Linear earthworks are also known as dykes (also spelt dike), or "ranch boundaries".

Functions

Linear earthworks may function as defences, as boundary markers to define a territory, to mark out agricultural land, to control movement of people or animals, to levy customs duties or as a combination of some or all of these. A

cross dyke A cross dyke or cross-dyke (also referred to as a cross-ridge dyke, covered way, linear ditch, linear earthwork or spur dyke) is a linear earthwork believed to be a prehistoric land boundary that usually measures between in length. A typical cr ...

is a type of linear earthwork believed to be a prehistoric land boundary.

Date and distribution

Linear earthworks are found around the world. The earliest dated linear earthwork in the United Kingdom dates to around 3600 BC near Hambleton Hill in

Dorset Dorset ( ; Archaism, archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north and the north-east, Hampshire to the east, t ...

. The Scots' Dike was built in 1552 to mark the border between England and Scotland.

Examples

In Ireland, the Black Pig's Dyke is an example of an Iron Age linear earthwork. In the United Kingdom, Offa’s Dyke,

Wat's Dyke Wat's Dyke () is a linear earthwork running through the northern Welsh Marches from Basingwerk Abbey on the River Dee estuary, passing east of Oswestry and on to Maesbury in Shropshire, England. It runs generally parallel to Offa's Dyke, s ...

and the Wansdyke are examples of early medieval linear earthworks, while the

Antonine Wall The Antonine Wall () was a turf fortification on stone foundations, built by the Romans across what is now the Central Belt of Scotland, between the Firth of Clyde and the Firth of Forth. Built some twenty years after Hadrian's Wall to the south ...

is a

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

example. In Africa, the

Walls of Benin The Benin Moat (), also known as the Benin Iya, or Walls of Benin, are a series of massive earthworks encircling Benin City in Nigeria's Edo State. These moats have deep historical roots, with evidence suggesting their existence before the est ...

and Sungbo's Eredo (both in Nigeria) are also examples of linear earthworks; in China some parts of the fortifications that make up the

Great Wall The Great Wall of China (, literally "ten thousand Li (unit), ''li'' long wall") is a series of fortifications in China. They were built across the historical northern borders of ancient Chinese states and Imperial China as protection agains ...

are built of earth.

Danevirke The Danevirke or Danework (modern Danish language, Danish spelling: ''Dannevirke''; in Old Norse language, Old Norse: ''Danavirki'', in German language, German: ''Danewerk'', literally meaning ''Earthworks (archaeology), earthwork of the Danes'') ...

in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany and the Götavirke in Sweden are early medieval linear earthworks while the Silesian Walls in Poland and Scots' Dike were built in the later medieval period.

References

{{reflist

External links

English Heritage – Medieval and Later Fieldworks

English Heritage – Prehistoric Linear Boundary Earthworks

English Heritage – Linear Frontiers
Archaeological features

Functions

Date and distribution

Examples

See also

References

External links