The origin of the word “fence” comes in the XIV Century with the word fens, a short term for defense, protection. The Oxford Dictionary defines it as “a structure serving as a barrier, boundary or enclosure, usually made of posts or stakes joined together by boards, wire, or rails. It surrounds, separates, keeps away, it defends.”

The history of civilization is closely tied with the history of fences. It emerged from the notions of agriculture, family and property. Fences helped institutionalize the collective recognition of private property as a visual and open declaration of intention, a commitment to the land, a proprietor’s self-regard and responsibility.

But were fences used to bar access to a land or were they used to mark the land? As the dictionary states, and on first impressions, it is a structure serving as a barrier but when is an opaque sort of wall it works as signage. We make an interpretation rather than physical contact with it; we know we should not trespass it and we know that this portion of terrain belongs to someone. It has a symbolic meaning.

The Greeks were the first to use a fence. Although in Athens the land was kept based on social recognition, with no partitions, when they were outside of local boundaries, conquering territory in Asia Minor, the terrain was divided among themselves with partitions. Romans repeated the pattern. The fence was instrumental in these land appropriations and played a part in the domination-securing processes.