A murder hole or meurtrière is a hole in the ceiling of a gateway or passageway in a fortification through which the defenders could shoot, throw or pour harmful substances or objects such as rocks, arrows, scalding water, hot sand, quicklime, or hot oil (rarely used because of its cost), down on attackers. == Murder holes and machicolations == Similar holes, called machicolations, were often located in the curtain walls of castles, fortified manor houses, and city walls.
A murder hole or meurtrière is a hole in the ceiling of a gateway or passageway in a fortification through which the defenders could shoot, throw or pour harmful substances or objects such as rocks, arrows, scalding water, hot sand, quicklime, or hot oil (rarely used because of its cost), down on attackers. == Murder holes and machicolations == Similar holes, called machicolations, were often located in the curtain walls of castles, fortified manor houses, and city walls.
Source: Wikipedia "Murder hole" · CC BY-SA 4.0
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