Opus craticum or craticii is an ancient Roman construction technique described by Vitruvius in his books De architectura as wattlework which is plastered over. It is often employed to construct partition walls and floors.[1] Vitruvius disparaged this building technique as a grave fire risk, likely to have cracked plaster, and not durable.[2] Surviving examples were found in the archaeological excavations at Pompeii and more so at Herculaneum, buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD and excavated beginning in 1929.
Scholarly confusion exists[3][4] since the term opus craticium is also used for the Roman building technique very similar, but not identified as being directly related to half-timbering, a timber framework with the wall infill of stones in mortar called opus incertum. An example of this technique is the House of Opus Craticum in Herculaneum.[5][6] This building, which was constructed some time in the first century or earlier, was reconstructed at Herculaneum's Insula III, nos. 13, 14, and 15.[7]
The opus craticum was not a Roman invention as variations of the technique is also found elsewhere in ancient Mediterranean.[7] Before the Romans, the Minoans, Etruscans, and Greeks are known to have used similar building techniques. At least since the 13th century, this type of construction, common in Europe, was called half-timbered in English, Fachwerk (framework) in German, entramado de madera in Spanish, and colombage in French.
^Ulrich, Roger Bradley. Roman woodworking. New Haven [CT: Yale University Press, 2007.
^Adam, Jean Pierre. Roman building: materials and techniques. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1994. 239, photo shows wall with a caption naming the wall as opus craticium with an infill of opus incertum
^"House of the Opus Craticium". from the original on 2012-05-28. Retrieved 2012-04-14.
^Lavan, Luke; Özgenel, Lale; Sarantis, Alexander (2007). Housing in Late Antiquity - Volume 3.2: From Palaces to Shops. Leiden: BRILL. p. 295. ISBN978-90-474-2327-0.
^ abUlrich, Roger B. (2008). Roman Woodworking. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. p. 99. ISBN978-0-300-10341-0.
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opus, craticum, craticii, ancient, roman, construction, technique, described, vitruvius, books, architectura, wattlework, which, plastered, over, often, employed, construct, partition, walls, floors, vitruvius, disparaged, this, building, technique, grave, fir. Opus craticum or craticii is an ancient Roman construction technique described by Vitruvius in his books De architectura as wattlework which is plastered over It is often employed to construct partition walls and floors 1 Vitruvius disparaged this building technique as a grave fire risk likely to have cracked plaster and not durable 2 Surviving examples were found in the archaeological excavations at Pompeii and more so at Herculaneum buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD and excavated beginning in 1929 The House of Opus Craticum Herculaneum ItalyScholarly confusion exists 3 4 since the term opus craticium is also used for the Roman building technique very similar but not identified as being directly related to half timbering a timber framework with the wall infill of stones in mortar called opus incertum An example of this technique is the House of Opus Craticum in Herculaneum 5 6 This building which was constructed some time in the first century or earlier was reconstructed at Herculaneum s Insula III nos 13 14 and 15 7 The opus craticum was not a Roman invention as variations of the technique is also found elsewhere in ancient Mediterranean 7 Before the Romans the Minoans Etruscans and Greeks are known to have used similar building techniques At least since the 13th century this type of construction common in Europe was called half timbered in English Fachwerk framework in German entramado de madera in Spanish and colombage in French References edit Berry Joanne 2009 Pompeya Madrid Ediciones AKAL p 68 ISBN 978 84 460 2928 1 Vitruvius De Architectura Book II Chapter 8 paragraph 20 http penelope uchicago edu Thayer L Roman Texts Vitruvius 2 html 8 20 Ulrich Roger Bradley Roman woodworking New Haven CT Yale University Press 2007 Adam Jean Pierre Roman building materials and techniques Bloomington Indiana University Press 1994 239 photo shows wall with a caption naming the wall as opus craticium with an infill of opus incertum House of the Opus Craticium Archived from the original on 2012 05 28 Retrieved 2012 04 14 Lavan Luke Ozgenel Lale Sarantis Alexander 2007 Housing in Late Antiquity Volume 3 2 From Palaces to Shops Leiden BRILL p 295 ISBN 978 90 474 2327 0 a b Ulrich Roger B 2008 Roman Woodworking New Haven CT Yale University Press p 99 ISBN 978 0 300 10341 0 nbsp This architecture related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Opus craticum amp oldid 1185083095, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
