Opus spicatum

Opus spicatum (Latin for " ears " work by the Latin spica = ear ) is a masonry of stone or thin brick, which are arranged vertically offset alternately in layers diagonally opposite each other and thus form a spike - and herringbone -like pattern.

Even in ancient times was " opus spicatum " used for decorative purposes in the masonry as well as subgrade foundation. In the Middle Ages, this technique was also used. It was used primarily as Füllmauerwerk for so-called shell masonry. The two outer sides of the respective walls were built of carefully hewn blocks. The remaining space between the walls was filled shell to produce the desired thickness of the walls with inclined flat stones. Occasionally one sees between the inclined layers and a layer of flat stones bricked.

This wall art represented a huge cost savings compared to the massive construction of ashlar dar. problematic, however, was a shift to the side, the exercised this masonry. Often cracks between scarf and Füllmauerwerk are observed.

At ruins of medieval buildings is often observed that for building materials the expensive square scarf of masonry were removed, while the Opus spicatum layers were preserved as an inferior building materials.

Several Central Hessian village church monuments have preserved ears masonry, for example churches in Almuthshausen, Dautphe, Fronhausen (Lahn ), low Ellenbach, Schemmern and on the mountain Christians.