ringforts

Ringforts are circular or oval fortified farming settlements consisting of a raised bank or rampart surrounding an enclosed space, often with a ditch on one or both sides. They may be earthwork or, less commonly, stone-walled. The term covers a class of rural defensive enclosures dating from late antiquity to the early medieval period in parts of Europe.

Geographically, ringforts are especially common in Ireland and Britain, with large concentrations in Ireland. They are also found across Scandinavia, the Baltic states, and parts of northern Europe. In Ireland they are commonly called raths or lios, and date roughly from the 6th to the 12th centuries.

Typical construction features include a circular bank of piled earth or stone, sometimes reinforced with a palisade, and a broad ditch, with one or more entrances. The interior often contained dwellings or workshops, and some ringforts have souterrains—underground storage passages—beneath the interior.

Ringforts served multiple roles: seasonal or permanent farm settlements, defensive refuges against raids, and status symbols signaling the owner’s wealth and authority. They are usually considered rural rather than military fortifications, reflecting social and economic organization as well as defense.

Archaeologists study ringforts through excavations, surveys, and aerial or LiDAR imagery. Many have been damaged or destroyed by farming, development, and erosion, which makes noninvasive investigations important. The artifacts and features found within help establish local chronology and daily life in early medieval communities.