Usage of Stone Materials in Natural and Human Environment, Case Study in Epirus, Greece

Stone in the past decades has been the most widely used building material, highly tied to the natural environment. The stone walls, dams, warehouses, farmhouses, paving, etc., are remarkable stone constructions and functional creations. Stone as building material was originating from rocks in the near territory, resulting an absolute harmony with the natural environment. From a hydrological and hydrostatical point of view, many of the protective type stone structures (terraces, dams) had gaps in their main body for passage of the water, significantly reducing the hydrostatic loads and increasing their stability. Finally, stone constructions as terraces, gutters, benches and walls protect agricultural lands and increase the soil moisture making them productive. In the present paper the agrotechnical, constructional and hydrologic characteristics of stone structures in Epirus Greece are presented.