Comacine masters
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Comacine masters (or magistri comacini) were medieval stoneworkers also dubbed the cathedral builders; their name derives either from the location where they supposedly had their headquarters, an island in lake Como (Isola Comacina), or from the latin expression cum machinis (referring to their tools).
Their geographical origin was the north part of Lombardy although evidence of their work has been found in several parts of Europe. Their organizations were guild-like. The first mention of Comacine masters was on the Rothari's edict (643) and by Liutprand the Lombard.
In the medieval age, artists did not sign their work, so to detect the work of this corporation historians look to specific details in the stonework; in this way historians have traced comacine master's influence as far as Sweden and Syria. To the comacine masters is attributed the duomo of Como, (late XI century).
Another notable group of medieval stoneworkers were maestri Campionesi from Campione, not so far from Como.
According to A History of Freemasonry by H.L. Haywood and James E. Craig, the Comacine masters were reportedly the predecessors or "progenitors" of the Freemasons.[1]
