What is "antestature"

Antestature \An`te*stat"ure\, n. (Fort.) A small intrenchment or work of palisades, or of sacks of earth.

An antestature is an archaic term for a fortification made of sandbags. They were historically hastily established by a retreating force to slow the progress of the enemy.

The word comes from the Latin ante ("before"), and statūra ("a standing").

Category:Military terminology