Ancient Greek Building Techniques

Most Greek stone buildings were constructed using stone dug out of local quarries, but some were faced with more expensive stone such as marble that was hardwearing and looked better.

Stones were cut roughly to the right size and shape at the quarry. They were then moved by boat or by cart to the building site.

Once at the building site, each stone would be carefully carved using bronze or iron tools to precisely the correct shape before being lifted into place.

Stone blocks had small holes in the top where metal hooks could be fitted. The hooks were linked to ropes that ran through pulleys. Teams of slaves hauled on the ropes to lift the stones.

The stone blocks were held in place by bronze hooks and strips, known as cramps. These could be hidden inside the stone so that they could not be seen once the building was finished.

Columns were built up out of a number of circular sections called drums. Each drum had a hole at its centre through which a wooden pole was pushed. Each drum was put into position by being lowered over the top of the pole.

Columns were often built with a bulge at the middle. When seen from a distance a straight column can look thinner at the middle, so making it bulge actually made it look straight.

The statues and sculptures that adorned Greek buildings were carved in a workshop on the building site. Once finished they were lifted into position.

When the main building work was completed, painters went to work. Most of the sculptures and other decorative features were painted in bright shades of red, blue and may even have been gilded.

Architects liked to keep their methods of building a secret so that they alone knew how to build. When he was asked how he had erected the gigantic gate of the Temple of Artemis (see page 152) the architect Chersiphron said “Artemis did it”.