Gallarus Oratory, an early Christian Church on the Dingle Peninsula of Ireland, is believed to have been built between the 6th and 9th century AD. The site was constructed using a technique known as corbel vaulting, wherein each successive layer of sandstone is angled inward, until the narrow opening that remains at the top can be sealed with a row of capstones. In addition, each course is laid at a slight angle, with the exterior surface lower than the interior, to direct rain away from the structure. These same techniques are still being used today on the Dingle Peninsula for the construction of modern agricultural Beehive Huts.
