The arch: born in the sewer, raised to the heavens
The topic approached by Matthys Levy (chairman Emeritus of Weidlinger Associates, Constelling Engineers) in his study is at least curious for the hurried reader of today, being devoted to the Arch, an architectural form practically absent, never erected (with the only pale exception of underground sewers) by one of the most refined civilizations of all times: the Greek one. A possible explanation to this phenomenon might be related to the type of material employed (stone, masonry). Again-curiously, other well-established, famous civilizations, the Egyptians, The Babylonian or the Assyrian one, to say nothing of the Roman world, largely built up and exploited The Arch to various ends. A first paragraph of the research discusses the early developments of the arch, examples of famous constructions (in birth word and stone) being provided, while another one is devoted to the strength and power of stone (granite, marble, limestone, sandstone) so extensively employed by Ethruscans and Romans. In my opinion, I do not think that the Greeks had no sufficient knowledge on the mechanics of materials -- I think this was rather an aesthetic option of theirs!
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