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Mare Nostrum

The Arch and Vault

By J. M.


The Vault
Works Cited


The Arch

The Structure of the Arch

An arch is a curved construction that spans an opening.The arch is a very elaborate architectural structure. It consists of many important parts such as:
  • The places where the arch begins are springers.
  • The wedge-shaped stones are voussoirs.
  • The central stone that holds all of the other stones in place is the keystone.
  • Structures built at the beginning of arch to support arch are imposts.
  • A structure that covers the spot where the arch begins is a molding
  • Square-shaped columns to support arch and imposts are piers.

The History of the Arch

The Etruscans were the first civilization to use an arch. The uses of the arch were limited because the arch did not fit in well with the classical architecture. They used the arch when building:

  • Gates
  • Bridges
  • Drains
A problem was found with the arch. The outer joint of the wedge-shaped stones of the arch and the horizontal bricks of the wall was too noticeable. To conceal the joint, the Etruscans constructed moldings called imposts. They called the arch and imposts an archivolt. The imposts stuck out from the face of the wall so they needed to be supported also. The piers were constructed so that the imposts sat on them. An example of an Etruscan arch would be the gate at Perugia (Hamlin 23).

The Roman architecture did not fully develop until they established the empire. The Romans conquered many civilizations. They became students. The Romans used ideas from other places in their own architecture. After the Romans conquered the Etruscans, they assimilated the arch to fit into their architectural scheme.The Romans used the arch when building:

  • Bridges
  • Aqueducts
  • Gates
  • Entrances
  • A symbol of military victory

    The arch could not support itself while being built. To support the arch during construction, supports called centerings were used. This gave support until the piers were built. Voussoirs, springers, and imposts were still used with the arch. The Romans added a buttress to help support the arch. A buttress is a projecting structure, generally of brick or stone, built against a wall to support or reinforce it. The Romans no longer used the molding to conceal the outer joint. They believed that it obstructed the natural beauty of the structure (Macaulay 55).

    History and Thought of Western Man
    Rich East High School *Park Forest, IL 60466

    This page was created by J.M. Last revised 03/05/00.

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