Pp 16-25 JCCS-A Ghadban Shadi the Architecture of the Palestini
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JCCS-a Journal of Comparative Cultural Studies in Architecture 6/2012 - pp 16-25 Ghadban Shadi The Architecture of the Palestinian Dry-Stone Hut Al-mantarah Die Architektur der palästinensischen Trockenmauerwerk-Hütten Al-mantarah Abstract Inhalt: This paper discusses the case of the In diesem Beitrag wird die Architektur der architectural form of the Palestinian dry-stone palistinensischen Trockenmauerwerkshütten hut (Arabic, al-mantarah) within the larger (arabisch: al-mantarah) behandelt. Hierbei framework of the historical development of the wird die historische Entwicklung dieser Hütten dry-stone hut form across the Mediterranean betrachtet, die im gesamten mediterranen region, Europe and Africa. The current status Raum zwischen Afrika und Europa zu of these huts is alarming because of several finden sind. Im Fall der palestinensischen factors, including the rapid modernisation Trockenmauerwerkshütten ist der Zustand of the Palestinian community, the largely aus verschiedenen Gründen alarmierend. unorganised urban expansion observed in Die Gründe dafür sind einmal in der rapiden the area, the lack of public awareness, the Modernisierung der palestinensischen declining importance of agricultural activity Gesellschaft zu finden, aber auch in der in the Palestinian society and, of course, the weitgehend unorganisierten urbanen continuing Arab-Israeli conflict. As a result, Expansion, die zu einem Verfall der alten the many agricultural huts in this area have Bautradition führt. Hinzu kommen ein been abandoned and destroyed over the past mangelndes Bewußtsein in der Öffentlichkeit few decades. über die Bedeutung dieser Bautradition, ein Thus, this paper will analyse the characteristics Rückgang der landwirtschaftlichen Produktion and importance of this type of structure, (mit dieser ist die Trockenbauhütte untrennbar particularly the Palestinian case, through verbunden), und nicht zuletzt der anhaltende a review of the literature in this field and arabisch-israelische Konflikt. Aus diesen site visits to observe and document various Gründen wurden viele Hütten verlassen und in dry-stone huts and to conduct interviews with der Folge verfallen diese alten Strukturen. a number of people. Areas of focus include the importance of al-mantarah and its role in In diesem Artikel werden die Charakteristika Palestinian agricultural development and the und die Bedeutung des Bautyps allgemein culture generally; its architectural structure, besprochen, wobei der Fokus auf die Region patterns and types; and the materials and Palestina gerichtet ist. Begonnen wird der techniques of its construction. Furthermore, Artikel mit einer Sichtung der Literatur zum the paper illustrates the current status and Thema, gefolgt von Feldstudien und Interviews condition of the surviving huts and concludes mit den Bewohnern. Durch dieses Vorgehen with a discussion of the future challenges wird die Trockenbauhütte untersucht und and potentials of their preservation and dokumentiert. Der Hauptaspekt der Studie development. liegt darauf, die Wichtigkeit und Bedeutung der al-mantarah herauszuarbeiten und darzulegen, wie wichtig dieser Bautyp für die traditionelle Keywords: Landwirtschaft Palestinas aber auch für das Al-mantarah, dry-stone hut, corbelled stone kulturelle Erbe des Landes allgemein ist. Es construction, Mediterranean architecture, werden die architektonische Struktur, die Palestinian traditional architecture. Muster und Typen, sowie Materialien und Techniken der Konstruktion besprochen. Eine Bestandsaufnahme über den momentaen Status der Hütten wird vorgenommen, bevor der Artikel mit einer Diskussion über zukünftige Herausforderungen und Potentiale für den Erhalt und für die Weiterentwicklung der Hütte schließt. Schlagworte: Al-mantarah, Trockensteinmauerwerkshütten, Kragsteinkonstruktion, mediterrane Architektur, palestinensische traditionelle Architektur. 16 JCCS-a 6/2012 Al-mantarah: Die Architektur der palästinensischen Trockenmauerwerk-Hütten Ghadban Shadi Introduction Although the consequences of the Arab-Israeli war in 1948 (i.e., the division of Mandate Historical Palestine enjoys a rich diversity Palestine and the establishment of Israel), of architectural features spread across its al-mantarah structures were still frequently landscape. These man-made elements employ occupied and were well used by their owners. a variety of building materials, with stone However, since that time, the situation has certainly being the oldest and most widespread. changed, with many lands being abandoned As part of the Mediterranean region, Palestine because of political and socio-economic has an abundance of dry-stone constructions, forces, and thus the importance of agriculture mainly houses, corbelled huts and agricultural as the key economic resource of Palestinian terrace walls. These constructions have long society began to decline. Many Palestinians dotted the terrain and traced the contours were expelled from their lands and left to of the central mountainous region that face a precarious present and an even more forms the heart of the West Bank, extending uncertain future. Despite their importance, from Ramallah to Hebron. Therefore, these these structures have not received the structures are excellent examples of the attention and consideration they deserve. traditional local architecture, reflecting a now Thus, the aim of this research is to study largely lost way of life and conveying a sense the current situation of dry-stone huts in the of the day-to-day activities associated with Mediterranean context; to discuss the role this area. of these structures in the development of The Palestinian al-mantarah is a traditional local agriculture in Palestine; to show their dry-stone hut that has developed architecturally present status and conditions; to identify over time to accommodate the farmer and his and describe their characteristics in terms of family. This form of traditional architecture is zoning, typology, structure, architecture and distributed throughout the entire Palestinian methods and techniques of construction; to landscape and follows closely the form of assess the value these traditional huts hold traditional Mediterranean architecture, which in terms of cultural heritage; and to identity is a product of the larger cultural development what measures are needed to the ensure their along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean preservation and development. basin caused by the historical events that Therefore, the methodology implemented in repeatedly produced widespread dislocation this study included site visits, especially in and mixing of ethnic groups. One result has the mountains around Ramallah, Bethlehem been diverse populations – with different and Hebron, to observe and document several governing systems, customs and other dry-stone huts in these areas. In addition, cultural traditions – living in proximity. Thus, interviews were conducted with a number the necessary conditions were established of people, both old and young, to elicit their for mutual influence to take place during the experiences with these structures. For this process of the formation, development and study, the development of the Palestinian enrichment of inventive traditions and values dry-stone huts model in a Mediterranean (Ghadban, 2008). Al-mantarah is a product context was examined through surveys of of this mutual influence and is considered a the literature related to the historical and principal component of the complete model ethnographic development of al-mantarah of Palestinian dry-stone architecture, which and the few studies available on traditional consists mainly of peasant houses, corbelled- Palestinian architecture (Arraf, 1985; Hamdan, stone huts, terrace walls and agricultural 1996; ‘Amiry & Rahhal; 2003 and Ghadban, terraces (Fig 1). 2008) and on dry-stone huts specifically (Ron, 1977 and Houdalieh and Ghadban, 2012). Finally, the architecture of the Palestinian dry-stone hut is analysed in terms of spatial organisation, location, socio-cultural aspects, construction forms, materials, techniques and proportions. Several constraints arose during the study, including the lack of coherent documentation of the locations of the huts, the risk of collapse of several structures caused by their severe deteriorating condition and the absence of people with direct visual contact with the entire process of the building of these structures. Dry-Stone Huts throughout the Mediter- ranean Region The traditional vernacular architecture of a region evolves over time to reflect its environmental, cultural and historical context. Such architecture is constantly shaped by the traditions and customs of peoples and nations, and it thus reveals their ways of living and Fig. 1: This classic Pales- their values because all forms of traditional tinian dry-stone hut (al-man- tarah), located in Silwad village architecture are created to meet specific needs near Ramallah, Palestine, ap- of the population (Holm, 2006). pears completely natural and in Dry-stone huts were an especially common harmony with the surrounding landscape. Fig. 1 form of this traditional vernacular architecture, JCCS-a 6/2012 17 Ghadban Shadi Al-mantarah: The Architecture of the Palestinian Dry-Stone Hut especially throughout the Mediterranean basin protection was a typical function in most of the (Fig 2). Mediterranean countries. Huts were also used for hunting; for example, bird hunters used to shield themselves within unroofed circular structures to observe and hunt birds in the