Everything about Roman Brick totally explained
Roman brick is a type of
brick with
nominal dimensions of 30 cm (12 inches) by 10
cm (4
inches) by 5 cm (2 inches), making it longer and narrower than most types of brick. Roman brick originated in
Ancient Rome and was spread by the Romans to the lands they conquered. This type of brick was introduced to the
United States by
McKim, Mead and White, and was favored by American architect
Frank Lloyd Wright in many of his
Prairie Style homes.
History
In
Ancient Rome, Roman
brick was of similar proportions to the modern day equivalent. The ancient brick was often of a lesser height than the modern alternative and was also made in a variety of differing sizes. The biggest difference in ancient and modern Roman bricks are in the large number of shapes and sizes that the Ancient bricks were available in. Shapes variations included oblong, square, rectangle, triangular and round, and the largest bricks found have measured over three feet in length. Ancient Roman bricks had a general size of 1.5
Roman feet by 1 Roman foot, but common variations up to 15
inches (38.1
cm) existed. Other brick sizes in Ancient Rome included 2 feet by 1 foot by 4 inches (61 cm by 30.5 cm by 10.2 cm), and 15 by 8 by 10 inches (38.1 cm by 20.3 cm by 25.4 cm). Ancient Roman bricks found in
France measured 8 by 8 by 3 inches (20.3 cm by 20.3 cm by 7.6 cm). The
Constantine Basilica in
Trier is constructed from Roman bricks 15 inches (38.1 cm) square by 1.25 inches (3.2 cm) thick. In the
British Isles, the introduction of Roman brick by the Ancient Romans was followed by a 600–700 year gap in major brick production. When brick production resumed in earnest on the British Isles, the 1.5–2 inch (3.8–5.1 cm) height of the Roman-style brick gradually increased during the early
Medieval period.
Modern Roman bricks are longer and narrower than other types of brick, and have
nominal dimensions of 12 (30.4 cm) by 4 (10.2 cm) by 2 inches (5.1 cm). At one time, Roman brick was one of three available brick types in the United States; the other two were "Standard" and "Norman." Demand has increased the availability of all types of bricks; there are more than a dozen commercially available brick types in modern construction.
Frank Lloyd Wright's use
Frank Lloyd Wright used Roman brick in his design for the
Robie House in
Chicago, and he favored it in many of his
Prairie style homes. For the Robie House, Wright selected a brick later known as "Pennsylvania Iron Spot Roman brick", personally traveling to
St. Louis to choose it. Wright's use of Roman brick in his masonry subtly emphasized the horizontal lines common to much of his Prairie style work. Further highlighting Wright's horizontal emphasis was the use of recessed horizontal mortar joints of contrasting color to the brick. In modern times, as
historic preservationists have worked to restore and preserve the work of Wright and his fellow Prairie School architects, Roman brick has proven difficult to obtain.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Roman Brick'.
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