It is simply amazing to see that history still stands (quite literally) after so many centuries! Most of you have already heard of Cusco, which is located in South America. It attracts many tourists from countries all over the world to see the ancient Inca society, along with their extremely durable buildings. Their structures are so durable in fact, that after the Spanish conquistadors conquered their land, and built their own version of whatever walls they could, they lived to see them fall apart before their own eyes while the Inca structures kept standing. That begs the question, what made the Inca’s structures so practical?
The Inca’s did not use mortar for every structure they built . Their meticulous craftsmanship replaced the concrete bonding methods. You can see in the photos how each and every stone was split and chiseled to each and every stone next to it. This method is something we call Encased Coursed Masonry. This type of work not only requires a very skilled mason, but a lot of time to complete the work as well.
The seamless look wasn’t all there is to it. Notice how they cut them to fit so that the stone wouldn’t shift towards one direction or another over time. Much of the stone is cornered into the stone next to it. Those were one of the four methods the Incas used. With this method, seeing them shift is not of a concern because although they dance during a high magnitude earthquake, they fall right back into place.
If there is one thing we can learn from the fascinating stone/masonry example of old, it’s this – a quality job will last far longer than a quick install. Premium Bathrooms Corp truly understands this, and we apply quality into every tile or stone project we work on. To learn more about us and the services we provide, please visit our website or give us a call today!
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