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A (
plural In many languages, a plural (sometimes list of glossing abbreviations, abbreviated as pl., pl, , or ), is one of the values of the grammatical number, grammatical category of number. The plural of a noun typically denotes a quantity greater than ...
) or beehive hut is a dry-stone hut with a
corbel In architecture, a corbel is a structural piece of stone, wood or metal keyed into and projecting from a wall to carry a wikt:superincumbent, bearing weight, a type of bracket (architecture), bracket. A corbel is a solid piece of material in t ...
led roof, commonly associated with the south-western Irish seaboard. The precise construction date of most of these structures is unknown with the buildings belonging to a long-established Celtic tradition, though there is at present no direct evidence to date the surviving examples before . Some associated with religious sites may be pre-Romanesque, some consider that the most fully intact structures date after the 12th century or later. It is where monks lived.


Form

They are most commonly round beehive huts, but rectangular plans are known as well. It has been suggested that the rectangular footprints date to a later era. Some are not completely built of stone and may have possessed a thatched roof. The walls are very thick, up to . Sometimes several are joined by their walls.


Locations

are mainly found in the Southwest of
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
, for example at Skellig Michael, Church Island off
Beginish Island Beginish () is an island in Valentia Harbour, in south west Kerry Kerry, Ireland. Geography Dominating the northern skyline is Doulus Head and Killelan mountain, with Valentia island to the south and Ballycarbery to the east. The north we ...
, Glanfahan, Fahan and Reask in the Dingle Peninsula of
County Kerry County Kerry () is a Counties of Ireland, county on the southwest coast of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is bordered by two other countie ...
. Many occur in religious contexts such as used by the monks following
Saint Patrick Saint Patrick (; or ; ) was a fifth-century Romano-British culture, Romano-British Christian missionary and Archbishop of Armagh, bishop in Gaelic Ireland, Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Irelan ...
; moreover, his successors carried on the architectural tradition in the Scottish island of
Iona Iona (; , sometimes simply ''Ì'') is an island in the Inner Hebrides, off the Ross of Mull on the western coast of Scotland. It is mainly known for Iona Abbey, though there are other buildings on the island. Iona Abbey was a centre of Gaeli ...
and eventually via Aidan to the eastern English islands of Farne and Holy Island. There are others in
ringfort Ringforts or ring forts are small circular fortification, fortified settlements built during the Bronze Age, Iron Age and early Middle Ages up to about the year 1000 AD. They are found in Northern Europe, especially in Ireland. There are ...
s (such as
Leacanabuaile Leacanabuaile is a stone ringfort (cashel) and National Monument (Ireland), National Monument in County Kerry, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Leacanabuaile is immediately northwest of Cahergal, northwest of Cahirciveen. History The cashel was b ...
,
County Kerry County Kerry () is a Counties of Ireland, county on the southwest coast of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is bordered by two other countie ...
) that are commonly interpreted as secular dwellings. Elaborate dry walled stone churches like the Gallarus Oratory may derive from the . The has been described in the 7th to 8th-century law Críth Gablach. Beehive huts are also found in West Penwith, Cornwall.


Popular culture

Parts of the 2017 film '' Star Wars: The Last Jedi'' were filmed using the beehive huts on the island of Skellig Michael. Because of the restrictions regarding filming on the island, a set of replica beehive huts were also built in 2016 at , near
Ballyferriter ( Irish, meaning 'Ferriter's Townland' ) unofficially anglicised as Ballyferriter, or also known as , is a Gaeltacht village in County Kerry, Ireland. It is in the west of the (Dingle) peninsula and according to the 2002 census, about 75% of ...
, on the Dingle Peninsula.


See also

* Beehive house *
Christian monasticism Christian monasticism is a religious way of life of Christians who live Asceticism#Christianity, ascetic and typically cloistered lives that are dedicated to Christian worship. It began to develop early in the history of the Christian Church, m ...
* Chysauster Romano-British settlement in southwest Britain *
Cleit A cleit is a stone storage hut or bothy, uniquely found on the isles and stacks of St Kilda, Scotland, St Kilda; whilst many are still to be found, they are slowly falling into disrepair. There are known to be 1,260 cleitean on Hirta and a furt ...
*
Dry stone Dry stone, sometimes called drystack or, in Scotland, drystane, is a building method by which structures are constructed from stones without any mortar to bind them together. A certain amount of binding is obtained through the use of carefully ...
*
Hermits A hermit, also known as an eremite (adjectival form: hermitic or eremitic) or solitary, is a person who lives in seclusion. Eremitism plays a role in a variety of religions. Description In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Ch ...
*
Vernacular architecture Vernacular architecture (also folk architecture) is building done outside any academic tradition, and without professional guidance. It is not a particular architectural movement or style but rather a broad category, encompassing a wide range a ...


Further reading

* Olsen, B. (2003) ''Sacred Places North America'', Santa Cruz, California: CCC Publishing * Edwards, Nancy (1990)
The Archaeology of Early Medieval Ireland
', London: Batsford * Aalen, F. H. A. (1964)
Clochans as Transhumance Dwellings in the Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry
' * Henry, Françoise (1948)
Early Irish Monasteries, Boat-Shaped Oratories and Beehive Huts
' * Henry, Françoise (1956/1957)
Early Monasteries, Beehive Huts, and Dry-Stone Houses in the Neighbourhood of Caherciveen and Waterville (Co. Kerry)
' * Peter Harbison (1970), "How old is Gallarus oratory? A reappraisal of its role in early Irish architecture", ''Medieval Archeology'', Vol. XIV, pp. 34–59


References


External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clochan Stone houses Buildings and structures in Ireland Vernacular architecture Roofing materials Irish Christian monks Monasticism Archaeological sites in County Kerry Ruins in the Republic of Ireland Christian monasteries in the Republic of Ireland