Roman masonry
Building techniques in Ancient Rome
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Roman masonry, sometimes also called Roman stonework, describes the different building techniques made out of bricks and stones in Ancient Rome.[1]
Typology
The Latin word opus translates into “work” and in the more narrow sense to the meaning of masonry, construction technique, or construction material.
Masonry
| Example | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
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Opus africanum | A form of ashlar masonry, characterized by pillars of vertical blocks of stone alternating with horizontal blocks, filled in with smaller blocks in between |
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Opus caementicium (Roman concrete) | Concrete-like material for cast or shell walls[2] |
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Opus emplectum | Double-walled masonry with outer and inner stone layers and cast core |
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Opus incertum / opus antiquum | Cast masonry with irregular and randomly placed uncut stones |
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Opus isodomum | Perfectly cut, completely regular squared ashlar blocks of equal height, and sometimes same length. |
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Opus latericium / opus testaceum | Cast masonry core with a brick facing |
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Opus listatum / opus vittatum | Combination masonry with alternating brick and narrow stone layers; brick tie connects layers. |
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Opus mixtum / opus compositum / opus vagecum | Mixed masonry combining brick layers with other techniques (incertum, reticulatum, vittatum) |
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Opus quadratum | Masonry of regular, rectangular stone blocks |
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Opus reticulatum | Cast masonry with net-like pattern of Tuff stones set at 45°, “diamond-shaped” |
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Opus siliceum | Polygonal masonry consisting of stones that have five or more face angles, in contrast to ashlar blocks which have four rectangular ones. |
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Opus spicatum | Masonry in herringbone or spike pattern |
Other styles and traditions
| Example | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
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Opus albarium / opus tectorium | Originally plaster for tempera painting, later used for general white stucco work |
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Opus craticum (or craticii) | Plastered over timber framed wattlework |
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Opus figlinum | Pavement formed out of squares of brick or terracotta, set flat and on edge alternately |
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Opus sectile | Materials were cut and inlaid into walls and floors to create motifs or pattern |
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Opus signinum | Waterproof screed |
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Opus tessellatum | Technique for Greek and Roman mosaic, made from tesserae (bigger tesserae than opus vermiculatum) |
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Opus vermiculatum | Use of tiny tesserae to emphasise outlines, sometimes in opus tessellatum |
See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ancient Roman building techniques.