moat
Sign in to savethumb|Moat at Beaumaris Castle, [[Wales]] A moat is a deep, broad ditch dug around a castle, fortification, building, or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. Moats can be dry or filled with water. In some places, moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices. In older fortifications, such as hillforts, they are usually referred to simply as ditches, although the function is similar. In later periods, moats or water defences may be largely ornamental. They could also act as a sewer.
AI overview
A moat is a deep, broad ditch dug around castles, fortifications, or towns to serve as a defensive barrier against attack. Moats could be dry or filled with water, and over time they sometimes evolved into larger water defenses or became primarily ornamental features.
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Article
18 sectionsContents
- Historical use
- Ancient
- Medieval
- Later western fortification
- Africa
- Asia
- Australia
- North America
- Photo gallery
- Modern usage
- Architectural usage
- Anti-terrorist moats
- Safety moats
- Border defence moats
- Pest control moats
- See also
- References
- External links
thumb|Moat at Beaumaris Castle, [[Wales]] A moat is a deep, broad ditch dug around a castle, fortification, building, or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. Moats can be dry or filled with water. In some places, moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices. In older fortifications, such as hillforts, they are usually referred to simply as ditches, although the function is similar. In later periods, moats or water defences may be largely ornamental. They could also act as a sewer.
==Historical use==