were made from concrete filled sandbags, again these have lasted well. Sandbag fortifications have been used since at least the late 16th century. For example, the rebellious Mughal governor Mirza Jani Beg used improvised sandbags made out of boat sails to construct a makeshift fort at Unarpur, Sindh, in 1592. Later, British loyalists used sandbag and log fortifications in the 1781 Siege of Ninety-Six during the American Revolutionary War. Nathanael Greene was familiar enough with the fortification technique to equip his troops with hooks to pull down the sandbag and log walls when they stormed the Star Redoubt in Ninety Six, South Carolina. In ancient times, temporary sandbag forts known as an antestature were made out 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"). Bulk bags Bulk bags, also known as big bags, are much larger than traditional sandbags. Moving a bag of this size typically requires a forklift truck. Bulk bags are usually made of woven or non-woven geotextiles. Large bags of sand are often used in flood control and making temporary patches to water barriers. For example, Thailand utilized bulk bags filled with sand to erect temporary walls to protect against the 2011 Thailand floods. Other uses Sandbags are also used for disposable ballast in gas balloons, and as counterweights for theatre sets. Some temporary construction signs or advertising signs are held in place and secured against being blown over with sandbags. During World War II, sandbags were also used as extemporized "soft armor" on American tanks, with the goal of protecting the tanks from German anti-tank rounds, but they were largely ineffective. Sandbags can also be carried within vehicles to provide improved traction during inclement weather (typically stored above the drive wheels where the increased weight improves traction). If ever stuck, sand can be removed and placed directly onto the slippery surface thereby providing greatly improved traction. Sandbags are also used by off-road enthusiasts instead of sand plates or sand ladders to assist the vehicle to get traction and momentum after being stuck in soft sand. The same sandbags can be used to bridge deep holes or ditches. Apart from being very light and taking very little space (when empty), the sandbags are a much cheaper option than any of the other options (sand plates, sand