Step-stone bridge

Stepping stones or even step stones are mostly cuboidal worked stones to facilitate the commission of difficult terrain or to allow a bridge replacement crossing shallow waters such as rivers and ponds.

History

Horizontal stepping stones

Already in Pompeii are used step stones to cross roads, which also served as a sewer. In the streets of the ancient city of large rectangular stepping stones were inserted with rounded corners in the paving at regular intervals and at intersections through which you could get from one sidewalk to the other; between the blocks space for passing car was left. This device proved to be especially in bad weather as very practical, namely, when the rain water that collected in the lane, could swell rapidly to a stream due to the slight gap.

In order to cross streams or rivers with low flow, were in Fords flat stones in line, in between, set with narrow gaps in the water. In Lauterbach stepping stones lead over the volume. They form the oldest crossing and were moved to in 1596 for lack of money instead of a bridge.

Goethe describes step stones that are created and maintained by merchants for customers.

As stepping stones river crossing

Step stones over the volume in Lauterbach

Vertical stepping stones

In rare cases one finds stepping stones on the walls of buildings. Here they can be recessed or cantilevered therefrom from the masonry; in any case they must be staggered. As examples especially the memory castles ( agadire ) in the regions inhabited by Berbers areas of the Anti-Atlas in southern Morocco are to be mentioned, where also higher reservoirs chambers could be achieved by the staggered arrangement.

Stepping stones today

From today's point of view, stepping stones, especially in gardens an inexpensive alternative to paved paths dar. Here, the paths of the respective plants can be adapted and can even act creatively.

Have a permanent place stepping stones in the design of Japanese gardens. There they are intended to reduce the danger of slipping on slippery moss and soiling shoes and kimono. At the same time through the terrain and ponds leading way opens our eyes to the different garden views, the routing also affects the walking speed of the visitors.

On hiking trails are still occasionally stepping-stones to find, for example, about the Gronach Hohenlohe level.