A natural stone wall provides functionality, beauty, and added value to a property. Building a stone wall without using mortar is called dry stacking stone. The strength of a dry stacked wall relies on the weight of the stones and friction between each stone to those around it. Very strong and long lasting walls can be built with this method, with some existing Cornish hedges believed to date back to 4000 B.C. or before. To build an enduring wall, care must be taken to make sure it's on a solid base, the stones fit tightly together, and basic rock wall building techniques are adhered to.