Origins of Our Traditional Stone Working Style
This past October, I was fortunate enough to go to the village of Deia in Mallorca to study the ancient local traditional dry stone building. I first came to Deia to study stone working in 2007, with The Stone Foundation for their annual Dry Stone Symposium. This was the first of several Symposiums and International training opportunities in the craft of dry stone work that I would have the privilege of attending over the next several years. Each of the workshops in Deia that I have attended (three total), were led by master stonemason, Lluc Mir, Founder of the Gremi de Margers.
International Education with Stone Masters
The Gremi de Margers, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the local stone craft. It is led by Lluc Mir, along with a group of other prominent stonemasons of the region, who tirelessly give their time and energy to preserve, educate and promote the historic tradition of building in stone without mortar. There is a lot to learn when it comes to creating stable and strong structures without mortar. It takes years of study and practice to achieve the skill levels of these masters who dedicate themselves to the work. The Gremi de Margers are up for the task to make sure that this incredible skill is not lost. It is through the Gremi de Margers that many historic sites have been preserved and new stonemasons have come up into this tradition. It has been my great opportunity and privilege to study and work with Lluc and the Gremi de Margers over these many years. Their dedication and respect for the way stone work connects to the land is incredibly inspirational.
The Master Mason’s Pledge
The Gremi de Margers’ effort to preserve and promote this ancient trade involves the following ideals:
1. To value the stonemasons trade; to promote quality and excellence in the exercise of this trade;
2. To fight against intrusion, or the weakening of the long held tradition;
3. To name and acknowledge the work of an almost always anonymous trade;
3. To promote and educate how to properly use the dry stone technique endemic to Mallorca;
4. And to study, disseminate and protect the stone heritage in Mallorca, throughout the Balearic Islands, in the Mediterranean and in the world.
Intuitive Knowledge and Practice
When I first started doing stonework in the gardens I was creating, before starting Mariposa, I used the lessons that I had learned as a college student apprentice on a small farm in England. It was on this farm that I learned how to build a simple stone path and patio, without mortar, from the head farmer. It was amazing to me that the path and patio we were building was designed and intended to last for many centuries. In fact, all of the stone work that I encountered on that farm was incredibly old and had served the farmers there for centuries. As was the stonework all over England that I had the opportunity to see during my apprenticeship (including Stonehenge!).
Learning the old way of building paths and patios with stone, opened up to me the way that this farmer was connected to the earth. He knew how to lay a stone that would stay put for centuries. This was a gift for me. As a young designer and builder, I was given permission to listen to nature, which in the US, is pushed back against very hard. He taught me to understand building materials and techniques in an intuitive way. He gave me my path as a future Garden Designer and Stonemason.
This inner understanding has guided the stone work we do at Mariposa for the past 20 years. Connection to the natural world, and the understanding of the way natural systems function, is also implicit in the way stone work is done by the Gremi de Margers of Mallorca. They use the stone from the island to build structures created by observing and understanding the best ways to shape and place stone that uses the natural formations of the stone to its best advantage. This type of building with natural materials can be seen all over the world, where builders understand how to work with nature, rather than against nature.
UNESCO World Heritage Site
On the island of Mallorca, a mountain range called the Tramuntana sits above the sea. This mountain range is filled with limestone. This locally accessible stone has been used as a stable building material on the island for centuries. In the Serra de Tramuntana alone, up to 12,000 miles of retaining walls exist. Many generations of stone wallers, farmers and property owners have built each wall. Hundreds of thousands, possibly millions of hours of hard work and effort have created a tapestry of beauty and function. Stone walls, paths and buildings are an intrinsic part of the Mallorcan landscape. Though many parts of the landscape was shaped by human hands, it blends seamlessly into the mountains, giving it the feeling of a beautiful collaboration between humans and the earth. It is a living heritage that must be preserved. This craft and the work left by thousands of stonemasons in the past has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
“It is an amazing feat of endurance and resilience by the generations of stonemasons and farmers who have constructed them. The walls have been historically constructed in the mountains in order to create flat land for cultivation of olive, citrus, fig and other food crops to feed the communities. In addition, the retaining walls hold up areas for livestock as well as for building homes and villages. Indeed, the village of Deia, situated in a steep ravine that leads to the sea, is full of retaining walls that hold up the residences and farms of the community. They are the perfect blend of form and function, creating a beautiful and utilitarian landscape that is human constructed and blends seamlessly with the existing wild landscape.” Quoted from the website: margersmallorca.com.
What captures my imagination is the incredible lift that has been done by hundreds of thousands of stonemasons throughout the centuries who have created an infrastructure that is not only aligned with the natural systems of the place, but that are also completely practical to the lifestyle of the past several centuries of Mallorcans who inhabit the region. The work of building is very arduous. Fingers are banged, knees and backs get sore and after a day of building, all are tired. However, the joy of learning something so unique and special keeps all of the participants energized. And then, being surrounded by the beautiful work everywhere you look, keeps the imagination running.
INTERVIEW WITH LLUC MIR
The stonemasons of the Gremi de Margers have all been through a formal training process that is a cultural tradition of the island. In an interview with Lluc Mir, I was able to learn more about his personal history in working with stone. For me, and many other prominent stonemasons around the world who have had the opportunity to work with Lluc, I feel a little bit start struck by his knowledge and experience. But beyond that, what stands out is his dedication to the craft and his commitment to passing on his heritage as a stonemason with dignity and respect for those who came before him. Here is a bit of his story.
My first steps in working with stone was at the Margers School ( dry stone walling school ) in Mallorca. I was studying Fine Arts at the university but I quit after two years and started the dry stone school on 1998. Since that day I got stone mad and haven’t stopped loving it.
Our training was hundred per cent formal. Eight hours a day, five days a week for two years, working on heritage restoration in the heart of a UNESCO heritage site. Time enough to learn the basics of dry stone construction. After that I kept learning for two more years by working with my master. After that extensive training, I then started my own professional career.
My stepfather is a sculptor and he works mainly with iron but he’s very good also working with stone. I remember when I was six years old that he started carving stone and found a fossil inside it. I’ve seen him sculpting and carving over these years, and I’ve learned a lot from him. I teach him walling and he guides me on sculpting.
When I asked him why he chose to work in stone as a career, he said the following: The answer it’s very easy, because I felt in love with stone since the very first day. And I’m not the only one, you have to love it to keep on working with stone all your life. Personally, I love all the possibilities stone offers: walling, sculpting, vaults, land art, Japanese gardens.... an endless universe full of beauty.
For myself, I can relate to what he is saying. From early on in my career as a garden designer and builder, stone captured me in a way that no other medium has done. I also fell in love with the craft and continue to follow that passion.
I also asked Lluc to provide some words of advice for those who are just starting out in the profession of stone.
“I would encourage them because stone heritage needs new workers. If they love it then they will have fun and also earn good money once they get a good level. This works keeps you fit but you have to learn how to move weights unless you want to hurt your body. My advice: never stop learning.”
Some last words from Lluc: “Workshops are stone tribe gatherings, a place to meet and share experiences with stone brothers and sisters, people who share a passion for stone. Mallorcan dry stone style it’s known among international stone workers because it’s a bit different comparing to other styles: stones are placed in many different positions except flat, creating a random pattern that is very attractive to the eyes. We love to share our knowledge and teach our style since we are keepers of a long tradition and want it to last as long as possible.”
It is a joy to work with a group of people who truly love and are as committed to the work they do, as the Gremi de Margers are. The comeraderie, the joy and the laughter that this group of humans creates is spectacular. The care in which they have taken to provide an experience for those who come to join them in their work is impressive. Each time I participate in a workshop here, I learn so much that I am able to take back to my team and teach to them. This training for me and for Mariposa has been a huge influence on how we work in stone. I am very proud to be a part of this tradition, and to send it on as a building technique that has a foundation in a deep connection to the natural world.
