Stone Huts - Chozas de Piedra of the Sierra de la Atalaya · 2014. 2. 12. · Stone Huts (Chozas de Piedra) of the Sierra de la Atalaya 2 Reference No. CP003 Location N 37º 10.057’

Stone Huts - Chozas de Piedra

of the Sierra de la Atalaya

Reference No. CP001 Location N 37º 09.525’ W 002º 04.069’ Dimensions 2.40m x 1.70m Area 4.1m² Height 1.60m Door 1.10m (w), 1.20m(h)

Description Built on rocky ground and situated amongst scrubby vegetation, it is largely of rectangular construction. It is composed mainly of petrified coral with evidence of some wooden beams used for support. Loose earth on the roof is used to help weatherproofing. The hut is partially ruined and may have been fire damaged, however the irregularity of the rocks does not help the stability of the structure.

Reference No. CP002 Location N 37º 10.086’ W 002º 03.691’ Dimensions 2.60m x 3.20m Area 8.3m² Height approx. 2.5m Door 0.60m (w), 0.90m(h)

Description Built on a hillside above a terrace of almond trees, it is of largely rectangular construction with an attached enclosure of approximately the same dimensions (possibly an animal pen or corral). It is composed of schist rocks. There is evidence of some use of crude plaster (yeso) as a mortar around the entrance. There is another similar structure nearby but the vegetation is too dense to gain access.

Stone Huts (Chozas de Piedra) of the Sierra de la Atalaya

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Reference No. CP003 Location N 37º 10.057’ W 002º 03.620’ Dimensions Circumference 10.40m Diameter 3.31m Area 8.6m² Height 1.10 – 2.40m Door 0.60m (w), 1.25m(h)

Description Built on a hillside above and alongside over-grown terraces, it is of circular construction. It is composed of schist rocks. There is a small window and wooden sticks have been inserted between the rocks internally. The floor is paved with flat rocks. Soil has been used on the roof to improve weatherproofing. I am able to stand upright inside. CP003 abuts against CP004.

Reference No. CP004 Location N 37º 10.060’ W 002º 03.619’ Dimensions 1.70m x 2.10m Area 3.6m² Height 2.20m Door 0.50m (w),1.30m(h)

Description Built on a hillside above and alongside over-grown terraces, it is largely of rectangular construction. It is composed of schist rocks. There is a small window and a shelf below the window. Two of the sides use a natural rock outcrop. CP004 abuts against CP003.


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Description Built at the side of a track on a slope, next to an unkempt almond field, it is of circular construction. It is composed of schist rocks. The domed roof adds about 0.50m to the heights above. There is a small fireplace. I am able to stand upright inside.

Reference No. CP006 Location N 37º 10.220’ W 002º 03.902’ Dimensions 4.70m x 3.40m Area 16.0m² Height 2.10m Door 0.50m (w),1.25m(h)

Description Built at the side of a track alongside a roughly triangular shaped enclosure, it is largely of rectangular construction, the structure narrows towards the rear. It is composed of schist rocks. There is a stick between stones on one wall to use as a hook. A small natural rock outcrop forms part of the rear wall. The floor is paved with flat rocks. I am just able to stand upright inside.


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Description Built at on a slope, next to well kept olive terraces, it is of circular construction. It is composed of schist rocks. The domed roof adds about 0.50m to the heights above. There is a wooden stick between the rocks acting as a hook for a tin can. I am able to stand upright inside. The outside of the hut is stained with fire retardant.

Reference No. CP008 Location N 37º 10.308’ W 002º 03.647’ Dimensions Height 1.80m Door 0.50m (w), 1.10m(h)

Description Built at the end of a small over-grown terrace on a hillside. It is composed of schist rocks. Unable to take full dimensions – there is a prickly pear growing across the entrance and more bushes against the walls. The hut has a small dome covered with flat rocks, large and small.


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Description Built on a flat terrace slightly above a track, it is largely of rectangular construction. It is composed of schist rocks. There is evidence of a small enclosure on three sides which is partly ruined.

Reference No. CP010 Location N 37º 10.386’ W 002º 03.677’ Dimensions Circumference 11.20m Diameter 3.57m Area 10.0m² Height 2.00m Door 0.70m (w), 1.20m(h)

Description Built at on a small hill above a track, it is of circular construction. It is composed of schist rocks. Externally the hut is in good condition, although there are loose stones inside. There is a wooden stick between the rocks inside which may be used as a hook. I am able to stand upright inside.


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Description Built in to the side of a slope at the end of a small almond terrace, close to a track, it is largely of rectangular construction. It is composed of schist rocks. There is a small enclosure attached. There is evidence of some use of crude plaster (yeso) as a mortar around the entrance. The floor has been paved.


Description Built at the edge of a track, at the end of an overgrown field, it is of circular construction. It is composed of schist rocks. Externally the hut is in good condition, and has a beaten earth floor.


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Reference No. CP013 Location N 37º 10.349’ W 002º 03.368’ Dimensions Height 1.90m Door 0.45m (w), 1.20m(h)

Description Built in to a slope above terraces it is very unusual in being part of a dry-stone retaining wall. It is composed of schist rocks. The small refuge is near one end of the wall.


Description Built in to a wall at the edge of an over-grown field, it is largely of rectangular construction. It is composed of schist rocks. The hut is not well constructed and there are signs of collapse. There is a hole in the roof due to missing slabs and the door is partly bricked-up.


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Reference No. CP015 Location N 37º 09.855’ W 002º 04.211’

Description Built on the hillside above a huerta, it is of circular construction. It is composed of schist rocks. This choza is being used for storage of materials for the huerta, so detailed dimensions were not taken.

Reference No. CP016 Location N 37º 09.857’ W 002º 04.302’ Dimensions Circumference 14.00m Diameter 4.46m Area 15.6m² Porch 2.00m x 1.30m Area 2.6m² Total 18.2m² Height abt. 2.50m Door 0.80-0.55m (w), 1.60-1.40m(h)

Description Built in to the slope below a track, it is of largely circular construction with an attached porch. It is composed of schist rocks. The porch is mortared with yeso and narrows to the entrance of the circular area. At the back of the hut a wall (about 1m high) creates a compartment, filled with dry vegetation, which may be a manger, or possibly a bed for the filtration of crushed grape juice for wine making.


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Description Built in to the slope, below a track and next to an olive field, it is largely of rectangular construction. It is composed of schist rocks. A can and sticks inside show some evidence of use.


Description Built at the edge of a field, it is largely of rectangular construction. It is composed mainly of petrified coral rocks with a few pieces of schist rocks. A wooden beam has been used as a lintel over the door-way.


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Description Built on a slope above overgrown terraces, it is of almost circular construction with an attached corral. It is composed of schist rocks. A wooden beam has been used as a lintel over the door-way. There has been some mortar applied internally and the floor is paved. There is evidence of a fire being lit inside.

Reference No. CP020 Location N 37º 10.404’ W 002º 03.320’ Dimensions Door 0.55m (w), 1.05m(h)

Description Built on terraced hillside, it is similar to CP013 in being part of a dry-stone retaining wall. It is composed of schist rocks. The small refuge is near one end of the wall.


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Reference No. CP021 Location N 37º 10.408’ W 002º 03.329’ Dimensions Door 0.55m (w), 1.05m(h)

Description Built on a terraced hillside, it was not possible to take full dimensions as there is some collapse and it has become more a pile of rocks. It is composed of schist rocks, but not well built.


Description Built on a slope it is a rectangular construction with an attached gabled extension. It is composed of schist rocks. Internal features include a window and shelves.


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Reference No. CP023 Location N 37º 10.260’ W 002º 03.627’ Dimensions 2.70m x 3.00m Area 8.1m² Height approx. 2.50m Door 0.60m (w), 1.00m(h)

Description Built on a hillside, it is of rectangular construction. It is composed of schist rocks. It has a paved floor and some yeso plaster around the door entrance. A small wall has been built to one side of the door, probably for protection from the wind. It is large enough for me to stand up inside.


Description Built on a rocky hillside, above some over-grown terraces, it is of rectangular construction. It is composed of petrified coral rocks. The choza has suffered a partial collapse on one side.


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Reference No. CP025

Location N 37º 09.938’ W 002º 02.766’ Dimensions 2.30m x 1.60m Area 3.7m² Height 1.65m Door 0.50m (w), 1.00m(h)

Description Built on a rocky hillside, it is a rectangular construction. It is composed of schist rocks. Wooden beams have been used to support the roof and door lintel. There has been some collapse of the roof.

Reference No. CP026

Location N 37º 10.361’ W 002º 03.611’ Dimensions 4.70m x 4.10m Area 19.3m² Height 1.90m Door 0.75m (w), 1.80m(h) and 0.70m (w), 1.45m(h)

Description Built on a hillside above fields, it is of an unusual design with two chambers, each having their own doorways. It is composed of schist rocks. Each chamber has an integral bench, one chamber has a wooden stick inserted between the rocks which may have been used as a hook. There has been some collapse in one of the chambers.


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Reference No. CP027


Description Built on top of a hillside, it is a rectangular construction. It is composed of schist rocks. It is not well made and about half of the structure has collapsed. There are some other part built/collapsed structures nearby.

Reference No. CP028


Description Built on top of a hillside above olive terraces, it has been constructed by cutting into the hillside and using a natural outcrop for the rear of the choza. It is composed of schist rocks. Small diameter wooden beams have been used to support the roof which has suffered partial collapse.


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Description Built between 2 fields close to a track, it is of largely circular construction. It is composed of schist rocks. The choza is well built with a fireplace and a paved floor. There are some wooden sticks inserted between the rocks which may have been used as hooks. I can stand up in the middle of the hut.

Reference No. CP030


Description Built on hillside with a track nearby, it is a rectangular construction. It is composed of schist rocks. The very small doorway makes it difficult to examine the interior and also impractical for a shelter, unless perhaps for a dog!


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Description Built on a hillside, next to a terrace of almond trees, just off the main track, it is of largely circular construction. It is composed of schist rocks. The structure is well built, but there has been some roof collapse. The choza is probably approaching the size limit for this type of building which requires the roof space to be closed with flat rocks.

Reference No. CP032


Description Built by the side of a track, it is a rectangular construction. It is composed of schist rocks. It is well built with the roof closure topped off with small rocks and earth.


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Reference No. CP033

Location N 37º 09.833’ W 002º 03.315’ Dimensions 2.80m x 3.40m Area 9.5m² Height 1.40 – 1.80m Door 0.70m (w), 1.50m(h)

Description Built by the side of an almond field in an area that is heavily overgrown, it is a rectangular construction. It is composed of schist rocks with some yeso used for plastering and binding of the rocks. Wooden beams have been use to create a pitched roof, although the choza is small enough that the roof area could have been closed without the use of supports. A small window is part of the original construction and there is evidence that a small corral was once attached to one side. The roof has collapsed and the construction is now in a poor state.

Note: The location data has been recorded from a GPS receiver using the WGS84

datum, which allows the sites to be plotted accurately on a Google map. The

coordinates need to be transformed to the 1950 European datum to be plotted on

Spanish “Mapa Topográfico Nacional de España” map. This may be performed by

entering the coordinates into your GPS receiver and then changing to the new datum

or by using an online conversion website such as Mimee;

http://80calcs.pagesperso-orange.fr/Downloads/Mimee_online.html

Mervyn King

June 2012

http://80calcs.pagesperso-orange.fr/Downloads/Mimee_online.html

Documents

Stone Huts - Chozas de Piedra of the Sierra de la Atalaya · 2014. 2. 12. · Stone Huts (Chozas de Piedra) of the Sierra de la Atalaya 2 Reference No. CP003 Location N 37º 10.057’