Abstract
Slate and shale are not usually considered as building stone for the construction of entire buildings in the vernacular farm architecture of the area north of the Vaal River (historically known as the Transvaal). Sandstone and granite as principal building stone types were more common. Slate and shale are two different stone types but due to their similar layered structure they are often used together in the construction of the same wall. Current research has revealed that slate and shale did play a significantbutselectiveroleinvernacularbuildingtechnologyintheregion.Slatewasusedforfinishing and solving specificproblemsinfolkbuildingtechnology.Oneofthereasonswhythesestonetypes were less popular as building material is the isolated occurrences of outcrops in the region. Sandstone and granite are more common and readily available. The few buildings constructed with slate and shale had a unique character reflectedinthewalltexturewhenthestoneislaidflat.Becausethe stone is released from its rock bed in thin plates with an almost completely flatsurfaceonbothsides, it is usually laid flatandneedslittlemortartosecureastablewall.Thispaperintroducesratherthan analyses the use of these materials in the vernacular architecture of the former Transvaal region.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:tut/oai:encore.tut.ac.za:d1001367 |
| Date | 19 April 2009 |
| Creators | Naude, M |
| Publisher | South African Journal of Art History |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | |
| Rights | South African Journal of Art History |
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