October 6, 2011 Stacked Rocks Monastery

While we are on the topic of stacked rocks . . .



This 1400 year old Gaelic Monastery sits on an Irish island called Skellig Michael (Michael's Rock). These behive-shaped huts are called clochans.

They think it was founded in the 7th century and saw 600 years of life. What they don't know is who and why.

Another little mystery is why the Vikings raided the island. Maybe because it was there?

Photo credit: Don Richards

via kuriositas

I'm taken by the double lintels and stabilizing stones midway up the doorway...
architectural engineering that saved lives.

Yes, that has a definite "doorway 2.0" look to it, doesn't it?

That's an early transom.

Wow, we were all taken by the same thing.

If they are called clochans they are bell-shaped, not beehive-shaped ;-)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gravdigr Wow, we were all taken by the same thing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wombat If they are called clochans they are bell-shaped, not beehive-shaped ;-)

a Bee Skep and a Glass Cloche

A cloche by any other name would ring as sweet...

"The Bell Cloche" just doesn't have the same 'ring' to it....

Ask not for whom the Bell Cloches, it cloches for bee.

well done.

!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by footfootfoot Ask not for whom the Bell Cloches, it cloches for bee.

Wow. How completely marvellous.

As to the viking raids: most likely even an order of monks living aesthetic lives would still have had valuable books. The norsemen used to take the books and strip off the valuable metals and even jewels which were often used to cover them. Likewise there may well have been silver items in their chapel.

Also, given their position, it's possible they were hoping to find food stores, and used it as a staging post.

So, I am curious . . .

Why all those spikes of rock sticking out all over the place? It seems like it would be hard to balance the other rocks on top. It seem like the sticky-outy rocks would want to tilt the rocks on top . . .

I wonder if that was part of the point?

Would there be a reason to have that upward pressure against the rocks being placed on top of the pointy-outy rocks?

I know nothing about engineering . . .

PS: What's up with the smilies in the right panel (when writing reply)? It seems like they were always in the same place and today they keep changing around on me.

I can't deal with the chaos!

Maybe those are steps to stand on when shoveling the snow off the roof.

those are rocks that were somewhat bigger than the hole they fit into during the assembly process.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaliforniaMama So, I am curious . . . Why all those spikes of rock sticking out all over the place? It seems like it would be hard to balance the other rocks on top. It seem like the sticky-outy rocks would want to tilt the rocks on top . . . I wonder if that was part of the point? Would there be a reason to have that upward pressure against the rocks being placed on top of the pointy-outy rocks? I know nothing about engineering . . .

Here we go:

Yes, you don't want your sods slipping.