Cob Introduction, question.

[crtaylor]

 in fact they were clay structures which
>had been filled with wood and brush, and covered with more of the same,
>then "fired" like a clay pot. The entire structure was originally a single
>ceramic unit, and it only looked like rok because of cracks over the many
>centuries (these were 10th c. IIRC. Does anyone have any information or
>speculation about the recreation of such a stucture now?
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Brian Hathaway


Brain, this may be a form of fired ceramic as taught by Nader Khalili in
his book "Ceramic Houses and Earth Arch"   there was some historical
evidence of Middle Eastern travelers in the British Isles who may have
transferred this knowledge, or it could have been stumbled on. As making
heavy or light fired clay pots was NOT a bif industry in UK this may have
been a local method only.

You can build such houses now, an they are still done in Iran and ME area,
as fired domes.

Charmaine R. Taylor
Taylor Publishing & Elk River Press
PO Box 6985 Eureka CA 95502  1-888-307-7650
'Books for people who want to build'

http://www.northcoast.com/~tms/