The amazing dry stone beehive hut project that was recently completed by those of us who participated in this year's Marenakos StoneFest near Seattle is a structure not unlike the vaulted roof Cabane we constructed in 2008 at our annual Canadian 'Rocktoberfest'. The French version of the Irish clochan is also a traditional round building made completely of dry laid stone and various historical examples of these buildings can be found in many parts of southern France.The cabane that members of the Dry Stone Wall Association of Canada constructed 2 years ago had dimensions that were slightly wider and taller and the domed ceiling actually corbelled in using medium sized flattish stones set carefully in place so the tiled surface of the roof also shed water.
We finished the roof during the festival held near Cobourg, Ontario, Canada while nearly 1200 people came to watch over the three days of the Canadian Thanksgiving . Above are two photos comparing the the beehive hut and the French Cabane at similar stages of construction.
(This Thanksgiving October 8-11 our Canadian festival will be celebrating its 7th year where wallers from all over the world gather and show off their talents. Amongst other demonstrations and presentations during this 4 day event, a crew of professional wallers will be building a dry stone 'footbridge' along a forested trail at Landon Park on the 1000 island parkway off the 401 between Toronto and Montreal.)
Tomorrow I will post photos of the two structures as they stand completed, and also post shots of the inside stone ceilings of both the beehive and the cabane.
