I talked to Jack a little about ridge beams today. He said it was builders choice pretty much. They don't indicate any particular period. Advantages and disadvantages are pretty much as described above. They do help straighten the lines of the ridge, but every joint in the beam is an extra joint. I'm working up an idea for a small shed we need here on the farm, and I want to incorporate a ridge beam in it. It might be somewhat cruckish, have to check the tree supply here.