CianMcLiam wrote: GLADMAN wrote: tiompan wrote: Without the steel reinforced concrete support the wall would collapse .
That has always been my understanding. From a purely engineering point of view, are there any known prehistoric structural techniques that could have achieved the façade we now have?
Yes, similar walls were found at Petit Mont, Gavrinis, Barnenez etc. A good intact section of similar walling can still be seen at Baltinglass Hill.
I'm aware of the Brittany monuments - although sadly not been.... yet - but not aware of any of those using quartzite in a load bearing context? Question is why O'Kelly had to use additional structural support? Would such a quartzite façade stand without the modern help?
In my experience Quartzite is a pretty consistent feature - albeit in small quantities - of upland Bronze Age cairns across the UK so clearly it had a pretty widespread symbolic (?) value; however, to my knowledge, nowhere is it used in a load bearing context
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