The Walls of Shussel (first built at TL1)

[dcarson]

Walls were often not uniform all the way through. I can see a outer layers of baked brick to avoid water damage, thicker layers of sun dried bricks for stability and then fill the middle with packed earth and rubble.

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by dcarson

Walls were often not uniform all the way through. I can see a outer layers of baked brick to avoid water damage, thicker layers of sun dried bricks for stability and then fill the middle with packed earth and rubble.

That does sound like many ancient walls.

If possible, I would like to avoid packed earth and rubble, largely because that seems like it would produce walls that were very thick at the base compared to the top. At the time the original walls were built, aesthetic considerations were very important and displaying their late TL1/early TL2 architectural mastery would have been more important than economy.

Also, for dramatic reasons, I'd like it to be possible to cause a catastrophic collapse of a section of the wall by turning some of stone at the base to mud, disintegrating another 10' by 10' part at the base and then hammering it with magical stones and explosive magical projectiles for a few hours. Packed earth and rubble is inconveniently stable, compared to a brick or stone wall that has had its base compromised.

[johndallman]

In which case, a core of sun-dried brick and an outer layer of baked brick would seem suitable. A TL1/2 society would need a very good fuel source to be able to build a city wall entirely from baked brick.

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by johndallman

In which case, a core of sun-dried brick and an outer layer of baked brick would seem suitable. A TL1/2 society would need a very good fuel source to be able to build a city wall entirely from baked brick.

What would be the effects of a millenia or two on that kind of wall?

This is a port city, but I'm comfortable assuming that the sections of wall nearest the ocean have been repaired or even replaced more frequently than the rest. There have been many times when the port facilities needed enlarging and rebuilding and they were probably late TL2/early TL3 before the city entered a long economic slump due to misrule by a God-King.

Anything not adjacent to the ocean will likely enjoy a very mild climate for most of that time. Hot and sunny, for the most part, with, if anything, slightly less rain that in good for crops.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Icelander

What would be the effects of a millenia or two on that kind of wall? ... Hot and sunny, for the most part, with, if anything, slightly less rain that in good for crops.

Well, it will need maintenance. The way to make that a tolerable burden is to use asphalt for mortar and waterproofing, which has ample historical precedent, but does require that the stuff be available within a reasonable distance.

[DanHoward]

The walls at Gla are a good example of Cyclopean masonry. They are made of limestone blocks, are 2.8km long, 3-5m high, and up to 6.75m thick. The thickness doesn't taper very much from top to bottom - the sides are almost vertical.

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by DanHoward

The walls at Gla are a good example of Cyclopean masonry. They are made of limestone blocks, are 2.8km long, 3-5m high, and up to 6.75m thick. The thickness doesn't taper very much from top to bottom - the sides are almost vertical.

Hmmm... in your opinion, could such a design be scaled up to 10m high?

If so, would one have to make the base thicker to hold the weight? By how much?

[Kalzazz]

In the Epic of Gilgamesh I believe that the walls of Great Walled Uruk were made 'all through of kiln fired brick'



http://www.shmoop.com/gilgamesh/pride-quotes-4.html

"Go up, Urshanabi, onto the wall of Uruk and walk around.
Examine its foundation, inspect its brickwork thoroughly—
is not (even the core of) the brick structure of kiln-fired brick,"

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

In the Epic of Gilgamesh I believe that the walls of Great Walled Uruk were made 'all through of kiln fired brick'

Sounds very much like a boast that the city fathers of Shussels would like to have made when the wall was first built.

There is every reason to assume that when the area was first settled, it might have been forested, with long-term human habitation having used all the trees for fuel.

[Ji ji]

There was a pyramid in South America made of soil and covered by stone slabs. It was one and a half high as Cheope's. It was several centuries old when European colonists took away the stones to use them for building. Then the pyramid melted away with rain.

I can't gather further details now. I read about it on Kurt Mendelssohn's The Riddle of Pyramids. However, I hope it gives some useful data on alternative construction methods.