L'étude des charpentes comme élément de datation du patrimoine rural : l'exemple genevois

Abstract

Within a given regional context, the study of timber frames represents a reliable method for dating rural architecture. In the region of Geneva, the oldest peasant dwellings have timber frames with columns of which the rough hewn elements are assembled in sections by dovetailing. Frames with triangular sections (trusses and purlins) begin to spread during the eighteenth century, whilst the construction increasingly uses tenon and mortise joints. During the nineteenth century, the structures are based on better knowledge and reveal a more professional approach, allowing for larger interior spaces by the reduction in the lengths and sections of the timbers.

Keywords

• architecture rurale
• charpente
• dendrochronologie
• matériau de construction
• maison paysanne
• technique constructive