Murus Gallicus

But this is usually the form of all the Gallic walls. Straight beams, connected lengthwise and two feet distant from each other at equal intervals, are placed together on the ground; these are morticed on the inside, and covered with plenty of earth.

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Murus Gallicus or Gallic Wall is a method of construction of defensive walls used to protect Iron Age

Iron Age

In archaeology, the Iron Age was the stage in the development of any people in which tools and weapons whose main ingredient was iron were prominent....
 hillforts and oppida

Oppidum

Oppidum is a Latin word meaning the main settlement in any administrative area of ancient Rome. The word is derived from the earlier Latin ob-pedum, "enclosed space," possibly from the Proto-Indo-European language *ped?m-, "occupied space" or "footprint."...
 of the La Tene period in Western Europe.

The distinctive features are:

• earth or rubble fill
• transverse cross beams at approximately 2 ft (60 cm) intervals
• longitudinal timbers laid on the cross beams and attached with mortice joints, nails, or iron spikes through auger
  Auger
  
  An auger is a device for moving material or liquid by means of a rotating helical flighting. The material is moved along the axis of rotation....
  ed holes
• outer stone facing
• cross beams protruding through the stone facing

The technique was described by Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar

'Gaius Julius Caesar' , July 13, 100 BC ? March 15, 44 BC,) was a Roman Republic military and political leader. He played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
 in his Commentaries on the Gallic Wars

Commentarii de Bello Gallico

Commentarii de Bello Gallico is Julius Caesar's firsthand account of his nine years of Gallic Wars, written as a third-person narrative. The Latin title, literally Commentaries about the Gallic War, is often retained in English translations of the book, and the title is also translated to About the Gallic War, Of the Ga...
:

But this is usually the form of all the Gallic walls. Straight beams, connected lengthwise and two feet distant from each other at equal intervals, are placed together on the ground; these are morticed on the inside, and covered with plenty of earth. But the intervals which we have mentioned, are closed up in front by large stones. These being thus laid and cemented together, another row is added above, in such a manner, that the same interval may be observed, and that the beams may not touch one another, but equal spaces intervening, each row of beams is kept firmly in its place by a row of stones. In this manner the whole wall is consolidated, until the regular height of the wall be completed.

... it possesses great advantages as regards utility and the defence of cities; for the stone protects it from fire, and the wood from the battering ram, since it [the wood] being morticed in the inside with rows of beams, generally forty feet each in length, can neither be broken through nor torn asunder.

About 30 structures of this type have been excavated, mainly in Gaul

Gaul

Gaul is the name used for the region of Western Europe comprising part of present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the River Rhine....
, but extending to the upper reaches of the Rhine

Rhine

File:Swiss Grand Canyon.jpgThe Rhine is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe, at , with an average discharge of more than ....
 and Danube

Danube

The Danube is the longest river in the European Union and Europe's second longest river after the Volga.The river originates in the Black Forest in Germany as the much smaller Brigach and Breg River rivers which join at the eponymously named German town Donaueschingen, after which it is known as the Danube and flows eastwards for a distance...
. The example at the sea promontory fort

Promontory fort

A promontory fort is a fortification located above a steep cliff, often only connected to the mainland by a small neck of land, thus utilizing the topography to reduce the ramparts needed....
 of Le Camp d'Artus, at Huelgoat

Huelgoat

Huelgoat is a Communes of France in the Finist?re Departments of France in Bretagne in northwestern France....
, was excavated and reported by Sir Mortimer Wheeler

Mortimer Wheeler

Brigadier Sir Robert Eric Mortimer Wheeler Order of the Companions of Honour, Order of the Indian Empire, Military Cross, British Academy, Society of Antiquaries of London , was one of the best-known British archaeologists of the twentieth century....
.

The murus Gallicus contrasts with other construction styles:

• Pfostenschlitzmauer
  Pfostenschlitzmauer
  
  Pfostenschlitzmauer is a method of constructing defensive walls protecting Iron Age hillforts and oppida in Central Europe, including Bavaria and the Czech Republic....
   - characterised by upright wooden posts in the outer wall, typical in Central Europe.
• Dacian Wall
  Murus dacicus
  
  Murus Dacicus is a construction method for defence walls and fortifications developed in ancient Dacia sometime before the Roman conquest. It is a mix between traditional construction methods particular to Dacian builders and methods imported from Greek and Roman architecture and masonry, and - although somewhat similar construction techniqu...
   - inner and outer stone walls reinforced with inner horizontal timber tie beams.

At Manching

Oppidum of Manching

The Oppidum of Manching was a large Celts proto-urban or city-like settlement at modern-day Manching , Bavaria . The settlement was founded in the 3rd century BC and existed until circa 50-30 BC....
 an earlier murus gallicus wall was rebuilt in the pfostenschlitzmauer style.

See also

• pfostenschlitzmauer
  Pfostenschlitzmauer
  
  Pfostenschlitzmauer is a method of constructing defensive walls protecting Iron Age hillforts and oppida in Central Europe, including Bavaria and the Czech Republic....
  
• Kelheim
  Kelheim
  
  Kelheim is a municipality in Bavaria, capital of the Kelheim . It is situated at the confluence of Altm?hl and Danube. As of June 30, 2005, the town had a population of 15,667....
  
• Titelberg
  Titelberg
  
  Titelberg is the site of a large Celts settlement or oppidum in the extreme south west of Luxembourg. In the 1st century BC, this thriving community was probably the capital of the Treveri people....