Vallutage

Vallutage is a historical term used in the study of fortifications to denote the construction, extension, or reinforcement of defensive works around a fortress, camp, or fortified position. The term is linked to the broader concept of vallation, from the Latin vallum meaning rampart, and is encountered in medieval and early modern military engineering writings as a variant form.

In practice, vallutage covers activities such as erecting earthworks and ditches, raising parapets and palisades, and arranging glacis and other protective features intended to deter assault and provide fields of fire for defenders. It is often described in treatises as the process by which besieging or defending forces modify terrain to create a more secure perimeter.

Although related to siegecraft, vallutage is distinct from tactical maneuvers such as sapping, mining, or direct assault; it concerns the layout and erection of fortifications rather than the act of attacking.

Historical context: References appear in Latin, Old French, and early modern engineering texts; usage becomes rarer as fortification theory evolves toward regular, traceable geometric layouts in the early modern period.

Today, vallutage is primarily of interest to historians and archaeologists studying fortification remains and siege warfare literature. It is typically discussed alongside terms such as vallum (rampart), fortification, and military engineering.