Jobs - Mason

The title of the working mason has become clouded with the history of the occult and with conspiracy theories related to the fraternal organization known as the Freemasons.  While the two are historically linked, the political activities of the larger organization are not the topic of today's post.  The history of the stonemason is about as long as that of human settlement.  The use of quicklime and plaster have been found in prehistoric constructions.  Shaping stone to conform to the needs of humanity has been a skill developed over thousands of years on every continent that humans reside.    
    Gaps in knowledge did occur between those who created the marvels of the ancient world and the men men who designed the soaring monuments of the medieval.  Developments in Geometry have long been coupled with practical applications related to construction, but the masons of this period in Europe were not formally educated.  Even if the mason could read, the knowledge of the ancients was not available to him.  Apprenticeships were conducted on site, with students learning the practical aspects of the art under the watchful eye of a master mason.  Through this on-the-job training, young masons would learn about design, proportion and load distribution without the mathematical models and precision engineering of the modern architect.
    During the Medieval Period, the Master Mason was the man in charge of the entire construction process.  He was the architect, builder, engineer, and chief overseer.  As a skilled artisan, his status was firmly in the middle class.  His offices were often on-site, sometimes purpose built within the building under construction.  In medieval communities it was common that only the most important of buildings were built from stone (fortifications and churches mostly).  Consequently, masons often lived a nomadic lifestyle, traveling from job to job (though some of the great cathedrals did take quite a long time to finish).


    Not every mason was a master mason, and not every master mason was in charge of the project on which they were working.  The rank of "master" was a title conveyed by the guild to denote a level of competence and experience.  Once an apprentice had completed his education (around seven years), it was traditionally required that he work as a "journeyman," traveling from job to job to acquire the experience necessary to be considered a "master" and go into business for himself.  These journeymen would work as laborers and stone carvers on the projects of others. Each mason had a personal symbol that he would carve on to a completed block to identify his work.  Whenever a mason arrived to work on a new job site, he would be tested by the Master to ensure the quality of his work. Information appears to have been readily shared among masons with styles and techniques commonly being imitated by contemporaries.
    Scheduling for work was largely seasonal.  Construction occurred in the spring and summer months when mortar could set properly.  During this time, the master mason would be occupied with overseeing all of the workers on site, including carpenters, glaziers, laborers and other masons.  Scaffolding, wooden forms and simple cranes were used to maneuver and set the stone in place.  Stone was transported by water or by cart. Larger stones would be shaped at the quarry to make them lighter for transport.  Cold weather months were occupied with creating and modifying designs as well as shaping the stones to be fitted when the weather cooperated.  This also gave time for the laid stones to settle.  Full scale templates were used for shaping and assembling the stones.  The completion of larger projects could take decades. 
    Tools employed by the mason were deceptively simple.  The two essential tools for shaping stone were the hammer and chisel.  These were used not just for cutting and smoothing large blocks, but also for producing the fine detail and carving so richly executed in the Gothic Period.  The straight edge was important for ensuring a smooth surface for fitting stone and also as part of a level.  A plum bob could be attached to the straight edge to ensure a course of stone was level across multiple blocks.  Set squares were used for drawing and checking right angles.  The most famous symbol of the masons is the compass.  The compass was the only known mathematical tool employed by the masons and was employed to create regular arcs and circles for drawings and templates.  Dividers were basically a measuring rope or stick.  These were used to maintain consistent proportions throughout the construction process.  Masonry trowels were used to apply and handle mortar, much like today.  It is possible that other tools were used at the time, but records are scanty at best and most research relies on pictorial representations of the time.   
    Considering the simplicity of the tools and the limited levels of education available at the time, the accomplishments of the medieval masons are truly stunning.  There were some over-reaches that brought the odd cathedral crashing down, but these were few and far between (or at least fixed before catastrophic failure).  These men had a strong grounding in the practical aspects of their trade, collaborating with all of the other specialists on site, as well as their peers.  A master had to be a good organizer and motivator as well as a draftsman, and a salesman interfacing with the client (who was invariably a high ranking official).  Lacking the higher maths employed by modern day architects, these men designed and built structures that continue to entrance and beguile.     

 

General - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonemasonry
General - http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/architecture_medmason_01.shtml
General - http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/medieval_masons.htm
General - http://www.uh.edu/engines/epi1530.htm
Workspace - http://www.arct.cam.ac.uk/Downloads/ichs/vol-2-1579-1598-holton.pdf
Marks - http://www.eylhs.org.uk/Masons.pdf
Tools - http://www.designspeculum.com/Historyweb/shelby%20medieval%20masons%20tools%20I.pdf
Design - http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/compassandrule/medieval-drawing
Tools and Math - http://www.maa.org/sites/default/files/pdf/news/Horizons-April03-McCague.pdf