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Construction in The Greek Era

© Shefali Kumar

The Greek Era, Post 1800 B.C. (click here for map of Ancient Greece) saw the continuation of the stone construction principles of the Egyptian builders. The focus, however, was on the ornamentation of the buildings. Also due to shortage of slave labor to build monumental edifices like the pyramids, the Greeks had to device methods of building the entire structure in segments. As an example, each column of the Parthenon was built by a different mason.

Materials Utilized

Local marble or limestone was used. Wood was still utilized for structural beams in the buildings.

Structural Principles

So far the Greeks relied on the post and lintel method. Nearly all Greek temples were built using the stone frame. The trabeated building was constructed with stone columns and timber beams. The maximum span possible with stone beams was 5-6 m (16-20 ft). Usually wooden beams were supported on the stone columns. Stone roofs were not used. Wood was the predominant material used for the roofs.

Construction Method

The heavy stones, once ornamented, were lifted into place by some kind of simple machinery. The exact details of these machines is not known. The concealed faces of the columns had grooves and holes that held the ropes to lift the stones. Metal dowels and clamps were employed to fasten the stone pieces together. No mortar was ever used.

The stone surface was carved by master masons to enhance the visual appeal of the buildings. Moldings were used extensively to give each building a profile. "Orders" were developed to create standardized, symmetrical and precise buildings. The building were usually painted in brilliant colors.

Greek Architecture is famous for the optical corrections made to the entire building and its parts so that it looked totally symmetrical. Some illustrations were:

• The columns of the Parthenon are thicker at the top than at the bottom
• The stone base or plinth of the Parthenon is not a straight line but is slightly concave.

Read more about the Parthenon, the most famous building of its time in Athens.

Drawings were produced by the master masons for each building erected. These drawings were drawn on the walls of the structure itself. Once the building was complete, they were erased.

All the construction techniques and principles used by the Greeks indicate

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