During the relentless rains of this winter, our neighbours wall collapsed at the rear of their house. An elderly relative from another mountain village came to repair it. I was fascinated to watch him as a master of this traditional craft and learn about its value in Greece.
Vasilis is 73 years young and has worked tirelessly hard as a roofer for many years, passing this trade onto his son but is still seen helping out. He still works his land growing fruit and vegetables and shepherds his sheep; the dry stone walls being a feature of his land and throughout Lefkada.
The wall took two days to complete single handedly.
Dry stone walling is known as 'xerolithia'. Commonly seen throughout Greece, dry stone walls are humble constructions with multiple benefits.
Most commonly they form retaining walls allowing for hilly landscapes to be terraced. The resulting narrow, level expanses that resemble steps from afar can then be cultivated.
Without the dry stone walls the available arable land would be much reduced, making survival difficult for the mountain village population.
Dry stone walls are made from stone stacked on top of each other without any mortar to bind them.
Their stability comes from the method with which the stones are overlapped and wedged together. It definitely is an art form.
These walls help protect against flooding, as the terraced slopes absorb rain and release it gradually, as well as against soil erosion.
At the same time they serve to bolster biodiversity, providing habitats for reptiles and insects.
In Greece the technique is 'en xiro' and the stones used were gathered from the immediate environment.
Alongside the retaining walls, other drystone structures are often found, such as small huts used as storehouses or shelters by shepherds and goat herders. Known as a 'Mitato' meaning shelter or lodging in Greek. The one below is carved out of a rock with a dry stone top.
Dry stone walls also form the perimeter of many farms/land, while the method has also been used to build olive mills, water mills, bakeries, steps, paved paths, beehives, threshing floors, wine presses, wells and even bridges.
Drystone structures are relatively underappreciated of their importance, but now UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) recognises the art and is tied to the protection of the environment.
This craft has been passed on from generation to generation. The use and construction of drystone walls has declined over the years as they demand manual labour both in their construction and maintenance and modern agricultural machinery cannot be used on the terraces, which makes their protection more valuable.
If drystone walls and the abandonment of villages in the mountains continues, which is already apparent in many areas of Greece, the land will stop providing new growth and that will an environmental disaster.
Additionally they have historic, cultural, archeological, sociological, agricultural and economic value.
In many areas where young people are slowly returning and becoming more active in farming, the drystone walls are being restored. They are ideal for organic crops, that is why the craft itself must start being taught.
We are currently purchasing terraced land with the intention of retaining the drystone walls and growing an organic vegetable garden. We will be calling on our friend Vasilis to demonstrate this amazing craft so that we are able to maintain the walls.
Dry stone walls are built according to the slope of the ground, the orientation of the slope and the quality of the soil and rock. Taking into account the wind, sun and rain. Logic is to put the larger stones at the bottom and the smaller ones higher up but the essence is in the overlapping of the stones, for it to be compact as a body so that if a load is placed on it, it will resist it as a whole.
The technique allows the stones to move so that it wont bring the entire structure down as with convectional walls and it will be easier to repair. The tiniest gap dissipates the force.
Drystone walls are in perfect harmony with the environment where flowers and plants can sprout naturally. In contrast cement is like a blemish on nature.
Concrete Drystone
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