Tar pit - Definition and Overview

A tar pit, or more properly asphalt pit, is a geological occurrence where subterranean asphalt leaks to the surface, creating a large puddle (or pit) of asphalt. Animals wandering or falling in get stuck, being unable to extricate themselves from the asphalt. La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles 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.