Imbrex and tegula
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The imbrex and tegula (plurals imbrices and tegulae) were interlocking roofing tiles used in ancient Greek and Roman architecture as a waterproof and durable roof covering. In Rome they first started to replace shingles around the year 500, and were used on almost every type of structure, from humble outbuildings to grand temples and public facilities.[1]
The tegula (Greek solenes) was a plain flat tile, or a flat tile with raised edges, which was laid flat upon the roof, while the imbrex (Greek kalupter) was a semi-cylindrical roofing tile, like a half-pipe, laid over the joints between the tegulae. When well-made and properly imbricated (overlapped), there was little need for further waterproofing or sealant.
Tegulae were originally made perfectly flat, or with nothing more than a ridge underneath the upper border, which allowed the tile to be "hung" upon a sloping roof so that it would not slide to the ground. Later, tegulae were formed with a raised border on the two vertical sides, which would channel rainwater to the bottom of the tile, rather than allowing it to seep between tiles to dampen the roofing materials. Another improvement occurred when these two raised borders were made to converge, forming a broad v-shaped trapezoid with the narrowest edge downwards, nestling into the widest part of the tile below it to form a continuous channel.[2]
The imbrices completed the waterproofing of the roof by arching over the joints between the vertical edges of the tegulae, dividing the roof into an equal number of channels. Rain water flowed off of the imbrices, into the channels and down over the surfaces of the tegulae, and descended into the gutter (canalis). The canalis had a plain or ornamented frontal piece set atop the entablature, immediately above the cornice. The semicircular opening at the front of the lowermost imbrex was often capped with an ornamental fronton, and the spouts which drained the gutters were frequently decorated with lions' heads (capita leonina) or other fantastic or grotesque faces.
Roofing tiles were originally made, like bricks, of wet clay in a four-sided mold, often shaped with a piece of wire, and then baked. More sophisticated molds were developed over time. Imbrices and tegulae are common finds in archaeological sites, and their design and markings can be of use in dating the sites and identifying the inhabitants.[2] Romans also often recycled broken tiles by incorporating them into mortar.
Some tegulae were made under the auspices of various Roman legions, and were imprinted with a stamp of the legion's insignia. For instance, a 1993 archaeological dig in Merseyside in England uncovered over 300 kilograms of tile and kiln remains. Some of the tegulae were stamped with the "LXXVV" insigniae of the Legio XX Valeria Victrix.[3][4]
Tiles of marble were first used around the year 620 BC.[5] Besides the superior beauty and durability of the material, these tiles could be made of a much larger size than those of clay. Consequently, they were used in the construction of the greatest temples, such as the Temple of Zeus at Olympia[5], the Parthenon at Athens, and the Serapeium at Puteoli (modern Pozzuoli). Still more expensive and magnificent tiles were made of bronze and gilt.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ Smith, William. "Tegula". A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities. John Murray, London, 1875. (public domain text)
- ^ a b Warry, Peter. Tegulae Manufacture, typology and use in Roman Britain. Archaeopress: Oxford, England. 2006. (ISBN 1841719560)
- ^ Swan, Vivien G. and Philpott, Robert A. "Legio XX VV and Tile Production at Tarbock, Merseyside". Britannia, Vol. 31, 2000, pp. 55-67.
- ^ Malone, Stephen James. Legio XX Valeria Victrix: Prosopography, archaeology and history. Archaeopress: Oxford, England. 2006. ISBN 1841719226.
- ^ a b Pausanias, Description of Greece, v.10 §2
- ^ Pliny the Elder's Natural History, Book 33.3 §18
