The Stones of Carcassonne
A Study in Monochrome
Solid rock is a foundation that endures. Walls and graceful edifices rise skyward, built from stone cut out of the heart of Mother Earth. The walled city of Carcassonne is located on a raised, rocky outcrop in Occitanie, France, and built from Eocene-age sandstone. Perfect if you want to spy an army marauding across the plains, intent upon laying waste to your feudal estate.
This medieval town, on ancient trade routes from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, is rightfully a UNESCO World Heritage site. But what caught my eye was the weathered, textured stone that embodies the living soul of this fortified town.
These sandstones were originally laid down by water currents some 55 million years ago, and their origins are still reflected in the texture of the rocks today. Delicate striations are visible on some rock surfaces – etched out from centuries of weathering. Stones on the left side of a defensive arrowslit in the city’s inner wall (image below) show the original depositional layering.
