Opus reticulatum

Opus reticulatum is a form of masonry in the Roman Empire.

The term masonry is not quite accurate: it is, rather, a wall veneer. Since at least 273 BC (see Lamprecht p. 38), the Romans built walls, vaults and domes concrete (opus caementitium ). This was poured between previously erected wall shells.

The look and design of this wall shells adapted itself over the centuries each time taste. Thus came irregular stone masonry (opus incertum ) exactly as shells made ​​of bricks (opus testaceum ) or mixed forms (opus mixtum ).

For about 80 BC, the opus reticulatum sat down more and more ( in research is controversial whether it is to be set chronologically after the opus incertum ). In this common natural stones - often from Tuff - pyramidal processed. The pyramid tip was pressed into the wet plaster so that the square base showed (side length usually 6-7 cm) to the outside. The stones were arranged so that one corner pointing down and thus the overall picture of a network yielded (Latin rete = the network).