Hateno Village and the Ancient Tech Labs

“I'm watching the windmills. They have to maintain a steady speed or the consistency of the flour will be off.”
​
​— Rhodes, Breath of the Wild

Hateno Village rests at the far reaches of East Necluda province, nestled in an agrestic valley between hovering peaks — Ebon Mountain standing to the south, with the Lanayru Range stretching far and away to the north. Three small woodlands dot the area around the village, with Midla and Ginner woods cradling the path leading to Hateno, while the larger Retsam Forest grows upon the higher hills of the village near to Lake Sumac, the largest body of water in Hateno. Two smaller ponds, Firly and Zelkoa, help create the natural northern and southern boundaries of the town; Zelkoa Pond sits aloft, feeding the streams and waterways of the community, while Firly Pond sits below and is likely spring-fed. As with most other Hylian settlements presently in Hyrule, Hateno Village is agricultural in basis, with many large terraces forming rather separate parts of town. Large fields with scarecrows, grazing ranges, and household barns dot the land, giving the atmosphere a rural feel, even though Hateno is the largest Hylian settlement currently in existence. Further up the small path begin the picturesque windmills which are inextricably linked to the image of this small hamlet. From these smaller hills, the road leads upward, eventually branching in two, one route leading to Hateno Ancient Tech Lab and the other to Hateno Bay. While the terrain does not offer much in the way of defense, as does the topography of Kakariko Village, the land is fertile and speaks of a gentility of nature. Hateno’s setting is bucolic and out-of-the-way, but, for the lack of major cities in Hyrule, it is actually one of the most entrepreneurial and bustling townships during the time of these events.

In Japanese, Hateno Village is written as 果ての村 (hate no mura), meaning something like “the village at the end” or “the village at the limits”, likely due to its position on the far eastern borders of Hyrule. Since the general destruction of Hyrule as a kingdom at the hands of Calamity Ganon, Hateno remains one of only two Hylian settlements in the time of Breath of the Wild. As a hub of commerce and construction, the roughly fifteen buildings of Hateno contain various industries and businesses, from the Great Ton Pu Inn to the Kochi Dye Shop. East Wind General Goods and Ventest Clothing provide some of the more standard village fare, while Bolson Construction, led by an eccentric and creative team of builders, ensures that growth is a continual project in the area. Indeed, their inspiration and drive will soon herald one of the most cosmopolitan towns in Hyrule. Yet, for its mercantile nucleus, there is a large agricultural industry outside the city, spread out through farms, fields, and outbuildings, bridging several streams and small canyons. Small footpaths branch from the larger road running through town, only to fade into field and stream. Along the main thoroughfare are two gates which demarcate the eastern and western borders to Hateno; these, like those of Kakariko, are visibly not defensive in nature, but serve to demarcate boundaries. And each gate is an encapsulation of the homey vernacular architecture of the village in terms of feeling, materials, and appearance.

Above: the main gate; Right: flag overlooking the main gate.

All buildings in Hateno Village seem to share the same methods and arrangement of construction. Beginning from the foundation, each building is marked, for the initial few feet, by the rough-cut and casually-placed stones which are demonstrative of rubble masonry. These loose foundations are occasionally braced with wooden poles, though in most cases they are held in place simply by mortar. Although we cannot tell for certain, the rubble masonry may comprise the entirety of these structures, being hidden under a dun-colored stucco. Regardless, this stucco begins a few feet from the ground, very haphazardly, and continues unto the roof. On the edges of each structure, the stucco is bounded by rugged quoins, being the masonry blocks at each corner; the designers placed these perhaps for reasons of integrity, or perhaps simply because they give the impression of strength and solidity. Aside from small windows flanked by diminutive blue shutters, and an even smaller window just below the eaves of each house which seems characteristic of Hateno architecture, this stucco rises flat to the rooftops.

The majority of the buildings in Hateno feature simple gable roofs, though some are half-hipped, in which case the edge of the roof along the highest point dips slightly at each end. The shingles are of a red wood, or of a wood dyed red, and are done in an uneven manner, intimating that these shingles may be replaced at different intervals, which yields the staggered and unbalanced effect. Dormer windows poke out of some of the larger buildings in town, while yet others have roughshod wooden balconies resting hesitantly upon the roof, as in the case of the Kochi Dye Shop. It appears that most buildings also have small built-on additions always to be found behind the structure proper; these are almost lean-tos of dark wood, and lack almost all ornamentation but for small designs, like stylized pine trees, painted upon the center portion of each plank. The utter lack of embellishment, in conjunction with the disparate materials used, seems to point at the utilitarian use of these rooms or structures, likely as storage houses or workshops. ​

Above left: the rooftop balcony of the Kochi Dye Shop; Above right: the dark wood and designs of the housing additions.

But, of course, the most spectacular and unique aspect of Hateno vernacular architecture is the prodigious chimneys which sprout like stone trees from the sides of these houses and shops. In what seems to be the spirit of competition — a familial campanilismo — each house’s chimney attempts to rise higher than all others, even to the point that the warped and twisting chimneys need to be braced by massive wooden beams to prevent them from toppling over and destroying the town. [1] It is rather silly to maintain such a tradition when it threatens the very safety of those living under such precarious chimneys, but it is also charming in a provincial way — small ribbons and medals to brandish at one’s neighbors when the need arises.

These rather comical vents are bulbous in shape, yet ultimately rise to what appear to be small houses, complete with four pillars, gables, and yet another roof — a study in miniature.

Views of the trulli of Alberobello; images in the public domain.

Insofar as I can tell, Hateno Village takes its architectural cues and inspiration largely from the countries of southern Europe - particularly from small, time-honored villages in Spain, Italy, and Greece. Those with familiarity in literature are bound to be hit by images from El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha, by Miguel de Cervantes, which takes place largely upon the arid plateau of La Mancha in central Spain, and particularly by startling images of Consuegra within the province of Toledo. The vernacular architectures of southern Europe share much in common in terms of material and appearance, but while the stucco and rubble masonry mimic those of many small Greek, Spanish, and Italian towns, the chimneys are a point of departure from most locations, and those of Hateno seem to be drawn from the kapassi chimneys of Mykonos in the Cyclades, the chimneys of the trulli in towns like Alberobello, and even from modern chimneys of the Mediterranean Revival and Spanish Colonial schools. To my eye, there is not one singular corollary to these fantastic chimneys in our world, and that is perhaps what makes them so memorable.

Hateno, as we know, is a village framed by windmills, and these mechanical figures grace the hillsides behind the community, stretching out with white sails upon wooden arms. They are almost exactly in appearance to the granaries, but for their jib sails, in which a simple triangle of cloth is wound around a stock, a part of the windshaft. Interestingly, it does not seem like these windmills can turn to meet the wind, as neither cap nor body can be rotated. We can safely assume, then, given the imagined intelligence of the citizenry, that the wind flows in but one direction in Hateno Village, and that it has done so since time immemorial. These windmills represent both the lifeblood and aesthetic spirit of the people of this village, and they exemplify the meeting of form and function.

From Crete and Leros to the Cycladic islands of Mykonos, Amorgos, Naxos, Paros, Santorini, and Serifos, the windmills in these sky-met islands all play upon the same themes: conical roofs, walls of plaster and stucco (some with intermittent, exposed stones and bricks), and jib sails to catch the wind. While the colors may differ from brown to teal to grey, the likeness is undeniable.

A few oddities and curios exist in Hateno. Small cairns of various colored stones, set by the roadway and perched atop the two gateways, give either a sense of fun or concern with wayfaring. Far removed from these playful oddments, however, is the Horned Statue tucked away near one of the ponds. As the statue recounts, it was originally some form of spirit — a dealer, as it reminisces, in Life and Power — until the Goddess Hylia sealed it inside this effigy as a tomb. In the past, humans came to pay homage to the statue, lusting after wealth or power, but no more; the statue continues: “The villagers here call me the Horned Statue and don’t even bother to wipe away the bird droppings. One would think years upon years of such treatment would have made me mend my ways . . . One would think wrongly. I have only been biding my time for the moment someone who can hear me appears.” It seems, then, that not everyone can hear the probing thoughts of the Horned Statue, and that it has been relegated to the realm of folk-tales and curious travelers. As with the Spider Houses of Majora’s Mask and the House of Skulltula in Ocarina of Time, this Being confirms a constant admonition of this series: that power and wealth lead only to ruin. The Horned Statue is verse made manifest: “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” [2] These are questions Link must confront in dealing with a demon.

Colorful cairns along the road through Hateno.

The less-colorful Horned Statue near Firly Pond.

In complement and contrast to these religious matters are scientific concerns. Atop one of the highest hills of Hateno, as well as in Akkala Province, a collection of researchers is attempting to investigate the trappings of power, endeavoring to gather power and knowledge from past technologies in order to protect their future. There are two Ancient Tech Labs currently operating in Hyrule: the southern lab, overseen by Purah and her research assistant Symon, and the northern lab in Akkala run by Robbie and his wife,  Jerrin. These two labs were originally founded one hundred years in the past shortly before the fall of the Kingdom of Hyrule during the Great Calamity; in order to lessen the chances that all the researchers should be captured or killed, the team split up, forming two labs in the far corners of Hyrule. Although their researches differ slightly in focus (Purah being concerned with the Sheikah Slate and its Runes, and Robbie preferring the designs of ancient weaponry, in particular that of the Guardians), still the two halves are engaged in the battle against time and forgetfulness — they want to obtain the most knowledge from the past as is possible before the world experiences another cataclysmic change.

The labs themselves are not built to any architectural standard; rather, they are repurposed buildings reflecting the dominant trends of their respective areas: Hateno’s lab exists within an outbuilding and granary, while Akkala’s lab is built upon an old lighthouse of grey stone. Yet, in true eccentric-scientist fashion, the buildings have transformed almost comically. Parts of Guardians protrude from seemingly every surface, and stacks of past weaponry and technology occupy every available inch of floor, wall, and staircase; equations are written upon chalkboard and scrawled upon paper, and books litter the interiors. Enormous telescopes can be seen atop each structure, likely keeping an eye toward Hyrule Castle and the Shrine of Resurrection, awaiting the fateful day of the Hero’s awakening. These are intensely curious buildings, fitted with a wide array of even more curious personages. Yet, these odd characters are a blessing unto Hyrule, and, as Cervantes himself wrote, “There must be all sorts in the world . . . .” [3]​​

Works Cited:

[1] The reason for the form of these chimneys is equally environmental, as the weather in Necluda Province is notoriously cold. The chimneys are such heights due to "large amounts of snowfall."

White, Keaton C., and Shinichiro Tanaka. The Legend of Zelda, Breath of the Wild: Creating a Champion, p. 264. Dark Horse Books, a Division of Dark Horse Comics, Inc., 2018.

[2] The Bible. Authorized King James Version, Book of Matthew, 16:26.

[3] Cervantes, Miguel de. Don Quixote of La Mancha (400th Anniversary Edition). Trans. John Ormsby. Brooklyn, New York: Restless Books, 2015. Print.