Tar pit

A tar pit is a geological occurrence where subterranean tar leaks to the surface, creating a large puddle (or pit) of tar. Animals wandering or falling in get stuck, being unable to extricate themselves from the tar. La Brea, California, has a museum built around the fossilized remains of mammals and birds found in such a tar pit.

The computer security term "tarpit" is named by analogy with this usage.

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