Construction & Materials Codexery

Arch

A curved structure spanning an opening, often load-bearing.

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Arch

Vulturesong · CC0

Structural load-bearing arches became popular after their adoption by the Ancient Romans in the 4th century BC, though the arch as a decorative element dates back to the 4th millennium BC.[1] A curved vertical structure that spans an open space below it, an arch can either bear a load or be purely ornamental.[2]

Aerial image of Devils Garden in Arches National Park (view from the southeast)
Aerial image of Devils Garden in Arches National Park (view from the southeast). Image: Carsten Steger · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Quick Facts

First known decorative use
4th millennium BC
Primary structural action
Compression
Key advantage over lintel
  • Larger span
  • more weight
  • smaller pieces

Facts from the source article.

Key facts and history

The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge states that the Nippur arch is placed by Hilprecht prior to 4000 BC.[3] True arches were known by several civilizations in the ancient Near East, but their use was infrequent and mostly confined to underground structures.[4] Mycenaean architecture utilized only corbel arches in their beehive tombs with triangular openings.[5] The Assyrians adopted the true arch early in the 8th century, apparently under Egyptian influence.[6]

Arches Fingers 3
Arches Fingers 3. Image: Betty Wills (Atsme) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The arch's role in construction was diminished in the mid-19th century with the introduction of wrought iron and steel.[7] In a true arch, compression holds the load-bearing elements together.[8] Underground barrel vaults at the Dendera cemetery in Egypt, dating to the 4th millennium BC, represent the earliest known use of true arches there.[9]

Arches National Park
Arches National Park. Image: arbitragery · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What the research sources say

The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge notes that the Nippur arch is placed by Hilprecht prior to 4000 BC.[3]

Arches National Park - HCP - November 10, 2022
Arches National Park - HCP - November 10, 2022. Image: Vulturesong · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Arches National Park - HCP - November 10, 2022
Arches National Park - HCP - November 10, 2022. Image: Vulturesong · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Arch of Rostokino Aqueduct (2)
Arch of Rostokino Aqueduct (2). Image: Dmitry Ivanov . · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Arch" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Woodman Bloom 2003, p. History (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Arch" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Gorse Johnston Pritchard 2020, p. arch (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  3. New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Vol. I: Babylonia: V. The People, Language, and Culture.: 7. The Civilization. Retrieved 9 April 2020.. facts only, no text reused. ccel.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Arch" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: ; John P. Peters, University of Pennsylvania Excavations at Nippur. II. The Nippur Arch, The American Journal of Archaeology and of the History of the Fine Arts, ; New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Vol. I: Babylonia: V. The People, Language, and Culture.: 7. The Civilization. Retrieved 9 April 2020. (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Arch" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Woodman Bloom 2003, p. History; Hope Simpson, R. (1998). "The Mycenaean Highways". Classical Views. XLII (17 ed.): 239–260. Archived from the original on 2008-07-10. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Arch" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Woodman Bloom 2003, p. History; Brosius, Maria (2006), The Persians: An Introduction, London & New York: Routledge, p. 128, .; Garthwaite, Gene Ralph (2005), The Persians, Oxford & Carlton: Blackwell Publishing, Ltd., p. 84, .; Schlumberger, Daniel (1983), "Parthian Art", in Yarshater, Ehsan, Cambridge History of Iran, 3.2, London & New York: Cambridge University Press, p. 1049, .; Wright, G. R. H., Ancient building technology vol. 3. Leiden, Netherlands. Koninklijke Brill NV. 2009. p. 237. Print. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Arch" (CC BY-SA 4.0) en.wikipedia.org
  8. Wikipedia, "Arch" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Woodman Bloom 2003, p. History; Woodman Bloom 2003, p. History (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  9. Wikipedia, "Arch" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Woodman Bloom 2003, p. History; (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Arch (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

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Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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