The Ten Books on Architecture, 2.3.3

Vitruvius  translated by Morris Hicky Morgan

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3There are three kinds of bricks. First, the kind called in Greek Lydian, being that which our people use, a foot and a half long and one foot wide. The other two kinds are used by the Greeks in their buildings. Of these, one is called πεντἁδωρον, the other τετρἁδωρον. Δὡρον is the Greek for “palm,” for in Greek δὡρον means the giving of gifts, and the gift is always presented in the palm of the hand. A brick five palms square is called “pentadoron”; one four palms square “tetradoron.” Public buildings are constructed of πεντἁδωρα, private of τετρἁδωρα.

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