Roman Bricks

OOH, an Interesting Topic

Roman Bricks

• Roman bricks came in all shapes and sizes

Roman Bricks• Bricks were stamped with information such as:

owner/manager of kiln; maker of brick; merchants who sold the brick; consul in power; area in Rome where made-street, etc

Roman Bricks

• Impressions of animals walking on the drying bricks could still be seen

Roman Bricks• Roman bricks were exported throughout the

Roman world. High demand for these bricks!

Roman Bricks• One Roman brick multiplied was able to create

such structures as these:

Types of ROMAN BRICK Construction

Roman Brick

• Opus Quadratum: Is a construction technique using bricks or blocks of stone, sometimes set without the use of mortar. Normally the bricks were in bands alternately with short and long sides visible.

Roman Brick

• Opus Incertum: Is a building technique using irregularly shaped stones inserted into a core of opus caementicium.

• Opus caementicium is a construction technique using

cement, often mixed with fragments of brick and stone, caementa.

Roman Brick

• Opus Reticulatum: is a construction technique using small pyramid shaped blocks of tufa or brick set in a core of opus caementicium. The tufa blocks cover the surface, with the pointed end into the cement, so the square bases form a diagonal pattern that resembles a net, hence the name.

Roman Brick

• Opus Lateritium: A Roman form of construction in which course-laid brickwork is used to face a core of opus caementicium. It was the dominant form of wall construction in the imperial era. Bricks are laid lengthwise.

Opus Quadratum Opus Incertum

Opus ReticulatumOpus Latericium