Polygonal masonry explained

Polygonal masonry is a technique of stone wall construction. True polygonal masonry is a technique wherein the visible surfaces of the stones are dressed with straight sides or joints, giving the block the appearance of a polygon.^[1]

This technique is found throughout the world and sometimes corresponds to the less technical category of Cyclopean masonry.^[2]

Places

Albania

• Lezhe
• Chaonia

And others

Crimea

• Chufut-Kale
• Mangup
• Vorontsov Palace

Easter Island

• Ahu Vinapu

Ecuador

• Ingapirca

Finland

• Bomarsund Fortress
• Suomenlinna

Georgia

• Anakopia Fortress
• Ateni Sioni Church
• Bagrati Cathedral
• Gudarekhi
• Gelati Monastery

Greece

• Delphi
• Keramikos
• Nekromanteion

Hungary

• Komárom
• Fort Monostor

India

• Vellore Fort
• Great Wall of India
• Murud Janjira

Indonesia

• Nias
• Toraja

Iran

• Si-o-se-pol

Italy

In Italy, polygonal masonry is particularly indicative of the region of Latium, but it occurs also in Etruria, Lucania, Samnium, and Umbria; scholars including Giuseppe Lugli have carried out studies of the technique.^{[3] [4]} Some notable sites that have fortification walls built in this technique include Norba, Signia, Alatri, Boiano, Circeo, Cosa, Alba Fucens, Palestrina, and Terracina.^[5] The Porta Rosa of the ancient city of Velia employs a variant of the technique known as Lesbian masonry.^[1]

• Santa Severa
• Rialto Bridge

Japan

• Akō Castle
• Fushimi Castle
• Goryōkaku
• Nakagusuku Castle
• Nijō Castle
• Odawara Castle
• Oka Castle
• Osaka Castle
• Shibata Castle
• Shuri Castle
• Uwajima Castle

Latvia

• Daugavpils

Malta

• Corradino Lines
• Ħaġar Qim
• Megalithic Temples of Malta

Mexico

• Teotihuacan

Montenegro

• Fort Gorazda
• Fort Trašte
• Lovćen

Morocco

• Lixus

Peru

• Chinchero
• Chullpa Towers
• Coricancha
• Inti Watana, Ayacucho

• Ollantaytambo
• Raqch'i
• Saksaywaman
• Tambomachay
• Tarawasi
• Usnu
• Vilcabamba
• Vilcashuamán
• Wanuku Pampa
• Twelve-angled_stone

Philippines

• Fort Pilar
• Fort San Pedro

Portugal

• Quinta da Regaleira

Romania

• Curtea de Argeș Cathedral
• Iulia Hasdeu Castle
• Orăștioara de Sus
• Sarmisegetusa

Russia

• Fort Alexander
• Königsberg Castle

Spain

• Castell d'Olèrdola
• Les Ferreres Aqueduct

Sudan

• Meroë

Sweden

• Älvsborg fortress
• Vaberget Fortress

Syria

• Arwad
• Hosn Suleiman Baitokaike
• Bara
• Barad
• Barjaka
• Basufan
• Bauda

• Benastur Monastery
• Church of Saint Simeon Stylites
• Churches of Sheikh Suleiman village
• Cyrrhus
• Dana
• Deir Qeita
• Jarada
• Kharab Shams Basilica
• Mount Simeon
• Mushabbak Basilica
• Refade
• Serjilla

• Qalb Loze
• Qatura

Thailand

• Phi Mai
• Phanom Rung

Turkey

• Enderun School
• Efes
• Hagia Sophia
• Hattusa
• Lyrbe
• Selimiye Barracks

United Arab Emirates

• Hili Archaeological Park

United Kingdom

• Gloucester Cathedral
• Maes Howe
• Stanton Moor

United States

• The Alamo
• Harsimus Stem Embankment
• Hearst Castle
• Yale

References

• P. Gros. 1996. L'architecture romaine: du début du IIIe siècle av. J.-C. à la fin du Haut-Empire. 2 v. Paris: Picard.

Notes and References

1. Book: G.R.H. Wright. Ancient Building Technology, Volume 3: Construction (2 Vols). 23 November 2009. BRILL. 90-04-17745-0. 154–.
2. Book: Carmelo G. Malacrino. Constructing the Ancient World: Architectural Techniques of the Greeks and Romans. 2010. Getty Publications. 978-1-60606-016-2. 97–.
3. [Tenney Frank|Frank, T.]
4. Book: Giuseppe Lugli. La Tecnica Edilizia Romana Con Particolare Riguardo a Roma E Lazio: Testo. 1. 1957. Johnson Reprint.
5. Book: Jeffrey Alan Becker. The Building Blocks of Empire: Civic Architecture, Central Italy, and the Roman Middle Republic. 2007. ProQuest. 978-0-549-55847-7. 109–.