rath

Rath, in Irish archaeology and toponymy, denotes a ringfort or fortified homestead dating mainly to the early medieval period. The term derives from the Irish ráth, meaning ringfort or fortification, and is frequently used in English-language descriptions of Irish sites. In placenames, ráth is Anglicized as Rath (and sometimes Raith), and appears in many Irish towns and villages such as Rathnew, Rathfarnham, Rathmore, and Rathdrum, typically indicating the site of a former settlement or fortification.

In archaeological terms, a rath is usually an oval or circular earthwork enclosure, protected by a bank and ditch and sometimes a timber palisade. Inside, there may be dwelling platforms, hearths, and occasionally a subterranean souterrain. Radiocarbon dating and typology place most raths between the 5th and 12th centuries, though some may have earlier or later phases. Many raths were small farmsteads or defended households and could be expanded, abandoned, and reused over time.

Raths are a distinctive feature of the Irish landscape and a common element in Irish place-names, sometimes indicating the historic presence of a fortification at that location. They differ from stone forts (caiseal) or later medieval castles, which use permanent stone walls rather than earthworks.

Beyond Ireland, the concept is sometimes used in academic descriptions of similar earthwork enclosures elsewhere, though terms may vary. Rath remains a key term in archaeology and heritage administration for recording earthwork ringforts and associated features.