aeeble

The stone houses in Miao'ao are a model of "making do with local materials". The stone used is sandstone from the coast, the roof framework is made of bamboo from the back mountain, and the roof was in the past mostly covered with wild grass. The stone houses in Miao'ao can be roughly divided into three different patterns and construction methods. The first type is a long, irregular stone masonry pattern, which is the most common and economical way. The walls are made of natural pebbles or roughly hewn stones of similar size, which gives a rugged beauty. The second type is a single extension, horizontal masonry method, where the stones are first hewn into stone bars of considerable height, and then layered and stacked horizontally, resulting in a simple and orderly wall surface. The third type is a three-in-one courtyard-style building with a herringbone masonry method. Regardless of the technique, strength, or cost, this type is higher. The walls are made of processed, equally sized stone blocks that are inclined at about 45 degrees and stacked to form a "herringbone" pattern with curved and intertwined seams, which is quite distinctive.