A promontory is a raised mass of land that projects into a lowland or a body of water (in which case it is a peninsula ). Most promontories either are formed from a hard ridge of rock that has resisted the erosive forces that have removed the softer rock to the sides of it, or are the high ground that remains between two river valleys where they form a confluence . One type of promontory is a headland , or head.
10-588: The Manukau Heads is the name given to the two promontories that form the entrance to the Manukau Harbour – one of the two harbours of Auckland in New Zealand. The southern head, at the northern tip of Āwhitu Peninsula , is simply termed "The South Head", whereas the northern head is named "Burnett Head" (the term North Head is used to indicate a promontory in the nearby Waitematā Harbour ). Both heads are hilly areas of land that rise steeply from
20-437: A historic town in the southern Lower Juba region of Somalia . An ancient area of occupation, Ras Bar Balla is situated on a small promontory . The settlement contains two tombs : one decorated with rectangular panels, the other plain in design. Today, it is mainly used as a resting place for Somali herders and their flock. It is believed to date back to the powerful Ajuran Empire . This Somalia location article
30-524: Is another example of a promontory fort. Located on a small promontory, the town was part of the Ajuran Sultanate 's domain during the Middle Ages and was strategically located to defend against potential invaders. This article about geography terminology is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Ras Bar Balla Ras Bar Balla ( Somali : Raas Bar Balla ) is
40-828: The American Revolution on the site of the former Fort Duquesne , which belonged to the French during the French and Indian War. The fort was located at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, providing an additional layer of defense. The surrounding area eventually became the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania . In Ireland , many promontory forts were built by the ancient Celts for defense against invaders. These forts were often located on isolated peninsulas or headlands and were difficult to access, making them ideal for defending against enemy attacks. The ancient town of Ras Bar Balla in southern Somalia
50-627: The South Head cliffs is the location of the Matatuahu archaeological site, one of the earliest archaeological sites in the Auckland Region . The pronounced sand bar across the harbour mouth has limited shipping into the harbour since large European vessels arrived in the area. This limitation (which ensured an effective maximum ship size of about 1,000 tons in pre-modern times), was no barrier to early success of shipping to local ports in
60-405: The bar. The Manukau Harbour Bar was first crossed in a surf boat by a crew from Piha Surf Life Saving Club who rowed from Onehunga to Piha in over five hours in high swells and stiff winds in 1992. A crew from Piha had attempted this row in 1971 but was caught out by rising swells closing out the northern channel and after attempting to catch a "smaller" wave into the beach lost their boat when it
70-600: The harbour – but eventually meant that the Waitematā Harbour overtook the Manukau Harbour in prominence as a port location. New Zealand's worst maritime disaster occurred just offshore in 1863 when HMS Orpheus ran aground on the Manukau Bar and sank with the loss of 189 lives. The area remains dangerous for watercraft, with one death each in 2005 and 2010 when pleasure craft capsized or were swamped near
80-626: The most famous examples of promontory forts is the Citadel of Namur in Belgium. Located at the confluence of the Meuse and Sambre rivers, the citadel has been a prime fortified location since the 10th century . The surrounding rivers act as a natural moat, making it difficult for enemies to access the fort. Another example of a promontory fort is Fort Pitt , which was built by the English during
90-508: The water to over 240m within less than 400m of the shoreline. In Pre-European times, the west coast of the Āwhitu Peninsula was the site of Paorae , a flat sand dune land which was a major kūmara (sweet potato) cultivation site for Tāmaki Māori iwi. The land eroded during the 18th century, however the sand from the dune feature continued to move northwards, creating vast sand banks in the Manukau Heads and at Whatipu . The foot of
100-457: Was smashed on to the beach by a dumping wave. 37°02′55″S 174°31′29″E / 37.0486695°S 174.5247746°E / -37.0486695; 174.5247746 Promontory Located at the edge of a landmass , promontories offer a natural defense against enemies, as they are often surrounded by water and difficult to access. Many ancient and modern forts and castles have been built on promontories for this reason. One of
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