Castles and Fortifications in Middle-earth

[Rumil]

Hello again,

Aiwendil, I like your Anglo-Saxon links, exactly as Gan-buri-Ghan says...

Many paths were made when Stonehouse-folk were stronger. They carved hills as hunters carve beast-flesh. Wild Men think they ate stone for food. They went through Druadan to Rimmon with great wains. They go no longer.

and the name of Stonewain Valley itself might be suggestive of transporting the building materials?

Reminds me of the 'Giants' Dance' ie Stonehenge, which, together with places like Petra, show that it is at least possible to carve buildings out of the living rock, as it were.

On Minas Tirith fortifications, agree that murder-holes etc are likely, but also the men of Gondor used engines, probably like scorpio or ballistae spear- or stone-throwing catapults, but these were outranged by the Artillery of Morgul.