Cyclopedia of architecture, carpentry, and building : a general reference work . projecting over the layer next below, until they metat the cro^vn or apex of the resulting vault. This circular constructionwas then covered with earth or gravel, and the angles of the stone onthe interior were dressed down to an even surface, suggesting by itsoutline the segment of an arch, as shown in Fig. 97. These tombswere built by the Pelasgic race in Italy probably between the years 1800and 1500 B. C; but it remained for the Etruscans finally to define theprinciple of the voussoired arch of stonework. This
Cyclopedia of architecture, carpentry, and building : a general reference work . projecting over the layer next below, until they metat the cro^vn or apex of the resulting vault. This circular constructionwas then covered with earth or gravel, and the angles of the stone onthe interior were dressed down to an even surface, suggesting by itsoutline the segment of an arch, as shown in Fig. 97. These tombswere built by the Pelasgic race in Italy probably between the years 1800and 1500 B. C; but it remained for the Etruscans finally to define theprinciple of the voussoired arch of stonework. This principle theRomans borrowed and probably developed to a much higher degreethan had ever been considered possible by its originators. By adopting this principle, the Romans seldom required the col-umn as a support for the lintel in the way tliat the Greeks had here-tofore used it; and, as the arch required a heavier and stronger sup-porting member than the column in order to resist the thrust which itoriginated and transmitted, they were (oinj)clle(l to revert to the more 166. Basilica of the Giants, Temple of Zeus, Agrigentum, Greek engaged columns. STUDY OF THE ORDERS 171 solid pier of masonry for this pupose, which at once materially modi-fied the appearance of their buildings. (See frontispiece.) Combination of Arch and Lintel Construction. The Romans,moreover, acquainted with thecivilization and the architectureof the Greeks, demanded a morearchitectural effect than had sat-isfied the Etruscan builders; andtherefore they adapted to theirown purpose the architecturalforms and Orders originated bythe Greek artists, and even usedthem for ornamenting the other-wise plain wall surfaces of theirvarious structures, in a way thatthe Greeks had never employed a column, or par-tial column, placed against aplain wall surface—or engaged,as it is called, to the wall behind;as in the Tabularium, where anarcade on the side towards the -p, , i 1 •.! Fig. 97. H
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Keywords: ., bo, bookcentury1900, booksubjectarchitecture, booksubjectbuilding
