Mastering the Craft: Unraveling the Story of Stone Masonry Through Time
If you’re a stone mason reading this, be proud – you’re a member of an ancient profession and an heir to a remarkable legacy.
Table of Contents
Introduction
If you’re a stone mason reading this, be proud – you’re a member of an ancient profession and an heir to a remarkable legacy.
Structures built by masons have been springboards for great cities, housed kings, turned the tide of history, and drawn tourists from faraway lands for inspiration. While the profession has evolved with the times, so much of the work you do each day has a direct lineage to the practices of ancient members of the trade.
“There’s a lot of pride in the work you do as a mason because it doesn’t go away,” Instone Chief Operating Officer Rob McKay said. “Masonry sticks around, depending on where you are in the world, for hundreds of years.” And in some cases much longer. Search online for lists of the oldest surviving structures in the world and you’ll find examples that predate recorded history. None known is older than the Göbekli Tepe complex in modern day Turkey, with its T-shaped pillars and carvings of animals, insects and humans. The UNESCO World Heritage site dates back to 9,000 B.C., but the rustic look of its stacked stone walls is emulated in so many of the veneer products we apply on walls every day.
Göbekli Tepe
Göbekli Tepe’s construction from limestone was in a sense typical of masonry in the ancient world. The societies that tended to specialize in masonry were those that had easy and abundant access to stone and built with those materials. You can see this in the limestone pyramids of Egypt and the marble temples of Greece, for example. The Romans were pioneers in the use of concrete, combining their blend with travertine to build the Colosseum, among other early icons.
The Influence of Guilds
As the centuries progressed, advances in engineering knowledge and tool quality paved the way for greater architectural sophistication. The Romanesque and Gothic designs of Medieval structures were higher and far more detailed, with signature features like arches, domes and flying buttresses. They included great cathedrals like the Notre-Dame de Paris and fortresses like the incredible Alhambra of Spain.
The accomplishments of the era also owe to the increasing professionalization of the trade. Guilds established codes that guided stonemasons’ work as well as ranks and roles based on experience, which still serve as something of a model today. Guild members included:
- Master Masons: Served as the operational and financial leaders of projects.
- Journeymen: Were paid by the day and traveled from site to site with their masters.
- Apprentices: Were indentured to masters for a period of time in exchange for their training.
An interesting branding innovation that emerged in this era was the mason’s mark. These symbols were carved into structures to let people know who was responsible for it and served as a form of quality assurance that it was the work of a master.
A Return to the Past
A sweeping trend in stonemasonry during the Renaissance was the celebration of Greek and Roman architecture. The stone elements in the grand structures erected throughout Europe in this age emphasized symmetry and mathematical precision, as seen in their tall columns, broad staircases and perfectly circular domes.
These influences carried on in the Neoclassical designs that emerged in America’s early years. Washington D.C.’s great stone government buildings were meant to project their status as halls of power and places of weighty philosophical debate.
Immigrants to the U.S. from countries with great stone traditions were responsible for many of its masonry triumphs. They blended ideas and expertise with artisans from other cultures in the great melting pot to lay the foundations of America’s cities.
The Rise of the Machines
Beginning with the Industrial Revolution, technology advanced in ways that enabled masonry projects to go bigger and faster. Thanks to railroads, and later trucks, cranes and other heavy equipment, builders were no longer reliant on horse-drawn carriages and brute strength to transport large deliveries of stone. Inefficient handheld tools that broke down easily were replaced by machines that cut stone with greater precision.
Safety improved by leaps and bounds, not only in terms of injury prevention, but health. The invention of ventilation systems, vacuums, and cutting tools with water jets tamped down airborne stone dust that once caused rampant lung ailments in fabrication shops.
Access to mass supplies of stone no matter where you were spurred a transformation of American cities. Fire-prone wooden buildings were replaced by stone structures that are regarded as landmarks and city centers today. Stone was paired with steel to push building to previously unthinkable heights, like the limestone-clad Empire State Building.
What’s Your History?
As deep as masonry’s history goes, we’re always most fascinated by the stories we hear from our friends in the field. Are you proud of any projects you’ve worked on that hold a deep meaning to their community? Do you have a rich family history in stone work, or is there someone in your life who has served as a special professional mentor? We want to hear about it! Share your stories with us at info@torostone.com.
