On the art of stacking dry stones without mortar

Stacking loose stones without mortar is the oldest form of stone construction. Today mainly used in horticulture, dry stone construction has had various applications in the history of construction, such as house and object construction, well construction, historical hydraulic engineering, the construction of field and defensive walls, megalithic construction and agricultural terrace construction. In 2018, dry stone wall construction was therefore added to the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Traditionally, only natural stones that are locally available were used. This helps to preserve a standard, typical landscape. To prevent these monuments of ancient architecture from falling into disrepair, Alfred Lichtenauer, former mayor of Ottenschlag, has taken up the issue and has written and illustrated a 30-page documentation on the subject: “The dry stone walls were built for agricultural terraces, retaining walls, boundaries and so on, in physically strenuous and technically demanding work. To give the wall more stability, smaller pinch stones were used between the larger stones,” he explains.

“Unfortunately, one or two dry stone walls have grown over or been removed. In the municipality of Ottenschlag, especially around the town of Helmetzedt, dry stone walls have clearly been preserved and are therefore a very important part of our cultural landscape,” says the former mayor happily, thanking those landowners who have secured and preserved the still existing natural and cultural assets. This important cultural asset has also been revitalized as part of the village development and canal construction in Ottenschlag. It is also encouraging that dry stone walls are being rebuilt in the private sector. After all, dry stone walls are also important biotopes for animals and plants. The joints and gaps between the walls are a valuable ecological habitat for biodiversity.

“The documentation is intended to help us pay more attention to, appreciate and preserve our wonderful natural and cultural landscape and perhaps even think about restoring it,” says Alfred Lichtenauer.

Alfred Lichtenauer, author of
Documentation about dry stone walls

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