Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
built/constructed—which verb signii es “to put together”, “pile up”, or “assemble”
units. On this account rock cut monuments are not buildings; and indeed it is very
dii cult to i nd a general verb in English to designate their creation—“to fashion”
is used in these remarks.
However rock cut apartments etc., very ot en of monumental nature, play a
signii cant role in ancient architectural development; and unfortunately no com-
prehensive general study is available concerning them. Accordingly a brief outline
is provided here.
In the interest of concision some preliminary general remarks are useful:
Some
rock cut
features
are
notable
monu-
ments
(1) h e subject treated is solely the technology of fashioning the rock cut apart-
ments. h e treatment does not concern their design development as such.
(2) Rock cut chambers etc. are patently of two grades: what might be termed (a)
utilitarian and (b) monumental. No categorical dividing line can be drawn
between the two, but in fact the division is clear enough as constituted by the
scale and by the form of the cutting. Both grades are considered here.
(3) h e fashioning of rock cut features can not be discussed in detail, and in fact
discussion here is limited to considering the two basic methods which are
practiced: dressing away the rock to waste, and quarrying it out in the form
of masonry blocks.
(4) It is assumed that both methods infer that the relevant technology was at the
time independently in possession of the society concerned.
(5) It is useful to recognise 3 broad types of rock cut monuments:
(a) h e hypogeum, where the entire feature is hollowed out below ground
level.
(b) h e “speos” or façade type, where the cutting is made in a clif face, and
the façade is exposed to view as a feature.
(c) h e free standing monument, where the whole feature stands above the
surface and is exposed to view.
302, 311
312
321, 323,
324
Men i rst acquired the technique of hollowing out solid rock in connection with
mining. And it is not generally appreciated how early this came about. Quite
extensive mining for l ints was practiced in Neolithic times (ca 5th and 4th Mil-
lennium BC), both open cut and underground—cf the well known l int mines at
Grimes Graves in South East England. Hand stone mauls and antler picks were
adequate to cut out in the sot rock (e.g. chalk) shat s ca 10 m deep and galleries
ca 12 m long deep below the surface of the earth. h is work proceeded according
to the curved contours of Neolithic understanding, and the rock was cut to waste
according to the fashion of mining (v Vol. 2, pp. 39-40, ills 56 a & b).
