What About Palisade Fencing?

In Latin the word Palisade translates to a "stake". That is why Palisade Fencing is sometimes also refereed to as a "stake wall"

The word Stake also means "Pale" from the Latin derivative. The Pales were typically tree trunks cut with a sharp point and put next to each other to form a fence of Pales.

Palisades were quick to set up and so a great option for a small fort. Wood was readily available and proved to be a great short term deterrent against small forces.

The wooden pales "Ganged" in a line were quickly labelled a defense stockade. Many cultures like the Greeks and Romans had variations of the defensive stockade. Soon watchtowers also had the same wooden pales placed as a form of defense.

Late in the nineteenth century some Adirondack buildings were constructed using palisade architecture. The tree trunks were cut in half with the rounded side on the outside. The inside was finished off with varnish. This was great protection against the elements.

Especially in South Africa the modern day Palisade fence is typically made from Steel. It is common as a security measure against crime. Cities like Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town use palisade fences across the board including the municipalities. The benefit is that criminals are easily seen through the fence.