shihouzumi　四方積

KEY WORD :　architecture / castles

Lit. four quarters piling. Also termed masugatazumi 桝形積 (square measuring box piling), and chikei-no-tsumikata 地形の積み方 (topographical piling method). A dry construction method use to pile stones for a stone wall *ishigaki 石垣, where the stones are joined tightly on all four sides. Stones are all squarely hewn and carefully arranged in even rows of similarly sized blocks that gradually decrease in size from bottom to top. Used for relatively low stone walls of 7.2-9 meters height such as those for gate foundations, tower foundations, and the lower sections of parapets. The tight fitting stones with flat faces leave little room for attackers to find foot and hand holds in climbing assaults.

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