Orri

An Orri is a type of small stone hut found in the Pyrenees regions of France, notably Ariège. Orris are dome-shaped, resembling stone igloos, built without mortar, and often with a top made of slate or wood. Inside they contain just one low room, with half the floor space taken up by a bed made of wood or stone.

Orris were mostly used as night shelters by shepherds and cowherds during the transhumance period, during which sheep and cows were moved to higher ground for grazing in the summer and early autumn. They vary in their arrangements: some appear to stand alone; others are clustered in small groups.

At times, especially among the clustered orris, they were used for other purposes, such as food storage.