Corduroy road
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A corduroy road or log road is a type of road or timber trackway made by placing logs, perpendicular to the direction of the road over a low or swampy area. The result is an improvement over impassable mud or dirt roads, yet rough in the best of conditions and a hazard to horses due to shifting loose logs.
Corduroy road
German soldiers by corduroy road in the village of Polesia (Ukraine, 1918)
In war, corduroy roads are often used as an emergency measure where poor quality roads have been damaged by the large numbers of vehicles or troops that have passed over them. Seen here are Germans in Yugoslavia in 1944.
Excavation of a corduroy road from the 16th century in Oranienburg, Germany
Historic roads and trails
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Historic roads are paths or routes that have historical importance due to their use over a period of time. Examples exist from prehistoric times until the early 20th century. They include ancient trackways, long-lasting roads, important trade routes, and migration trails. Many historic routes, such as the Silk Road, the Amber Road, and the Royal Road of the Persian Empire, covered great distances and their impact on human settlements remain today.
Wittmoor Bog Trackway, Germany. (The trackways date to the 4th and 7th century AD). Photo taken during an excavation.
The Roman Appian Way, near Casal Rotondo, to the southeast of Rome, Italy.
Silk Road. Both the land and sea routes
Reconstructed ancient cliff path of Mingyue Gorge, northern Sichuan, China, part of the Shudao road system