The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-02-01
Bricks.

Wv D'o'o w huNC OEe-n usCu Ill CNG GrGCt1OI
OF the Tower Of Babel. We have the tea
Imony OF Hcrodotus to the effect tina
ournt bricks were made from the CITY
thrown out OF the trenches surrounding
Babylon, Statements Of travellers show
that inc Babylonian brick Is very much
ltke tile, being from IL to 13 lncbe
square, and 81 inches thick. Most oi
them Denr the name inscribed in cunei
lorm q Nebuchadnczzar, whose buildings
mo- donot replaced those Of an earlier age
ihey were sometimes glazed and enam
eled In various colors. Semlramus is said
oy Diodorus to have overa1d some Of hel
toWcrswith surfaces of enameled bricks.
Spn-dried bricks were exclusively used In
ancient times, especially, ia Egypt, where
the mAnufactlre was considered most
degrading employment, and as such formed
Inc principal part ofithe occupation OF the
lsraelltes during their bondage, after the
dea'h OF Joseph. These Egyptian sun.
drled bricks were made of clay mixed
WIN chopped straw, which was furnished
10 the children of Isra by their Egyptian
taskmastors, betoro the application of
moses to Pharaoh in their behalf. After
TINS the obligation wae put upon them to
furnish their own straw, which appears 10
nave been IKE the last straw upon the
camel's back--tOO much to be borne.
1t appears from the details given that
tho lsraelltcs worked in gangs under the
superlntendence of one Of their own M.
lion, who was provided with all the nee.
essary tools, and then held personally res
ponsible for the labors Of his men. Some
Egyptian bricks were made without straw,
ano are now found as perfect as on the
day when they were put up in the region
or Amonopolls and Thotmee, whose names
they bear. When made of Nile mud thew
needed straw to keep them together. but
when formed OF clay taken from the tor
rent beds on the edge OF the desert they
hcld together without aid. Among the
paintings at Thcbes, cne on the tomb of
Rekshata, On officer Of the court of Thot.
mes III (B. G. 1400) represents tho en-
forced labors Cf captives, who are distin.
g'llshed from the natives by the colors
with which they are drawn.
Watching over the laborers arc tho
'taskmasters," who armed with sticks
arc receiving the "le Of brlcks'' ami
urging on the work. The process OF dig.
ging out the clay, of moulding and of
arranging, are all duly represented. The
process of manufacture in Egypt was very
similar to that adopted at the present time
in that country. The clay was brought IN
baskets from the Nile, thrown into heap,
thoroughly saturated with water. and
worked to proper temper by the teet of
The laborcrs. This appears to have been
done entirely ny the Oight-colored) CAP.
tivcs, the (red) Egyptian stunning .tnc
work which must have been oppressive
and nnEholesna.n ma nnsaihin /" ihoi oil
mate. Inc clay when tempered was cut
by an Instrument res 'mb.ing very much
an agricultural hoe and nodded IN an Oh.
long trough. Tic bricks wore then dried
la the sun.
Burnt bricks were used in Egypt for
river walls and hydraulic works, but not
TO sny great extent. Enclosu,cs of garden
or granaries. sacred circuits encompaes,ug
the courts Of temples, walls OF fortifca-
tions and towns, dwelling houses and
tombs; IN short, all but the temples them
selves we're OF crude brick. ind 30 great
was the demand that the Egyptian Gov
crnment, observing the profit winch would
accrue from monopoly of them, under
took to supply the public at reduced
price, thus preventing unauthorized per-
sons from engaging in the manufacture.
The Jews learned the art of brick making
In Egypt, anti that they used it greatly is
proved by tho complaint of Isaiah that
the people built altars Of brick instead of
unhcwn stone, as the law directed. The
Romans used bricks. both burnt and un-
burnt, in great profuslon, leaving their
sun-dried bricks in tho air for four or five
years to harden. All the great existing
rains Of Rome arc of this material At
the decline of the Roman empire the art
Of brick making fell into dlsuse, but was
rev we'd IN Italy after the lapse of few
centuries. The medieval, ecclesiastical
and palatial architecture Of italy exhibits
many fine specimens of brickwork and
ornamental designs In terra Gotta. In
Holland and the Netherlands the scarcity
of stone nccessitated substitute, and led,
1T al early period, to the extensive use vi
brick, pot only for domestic but for eccles.
iast,cal buildings. These countries abound
III fine specimens OF brick work, often
done IN two colors combined, with great
taste, and producing a very rich result,
as 1t is TO be seen III the celebrated exam
pes at Lccnwarden, IN FIiesland. 1t IA
worthy OF remark that in the fens of LIN
colnsh're and Norfolk, where we would
naturally expect tho same material to be
used, tho churches, many of which are
exceedingly fine specimens of architec-
ture, are hullt Of small stones, SAID to have
heen brought a great distance upon pack
horses. In modern times nowhere do we
find greater perfection in the art of brick
making and laying than in Holland, where
most OF the floors of tho houses and the
strcets are paved with bricks.
Modern bricks are made Of different
materials; clay, sand and ashes make OK
celent bricks, while good brlck.earth ls
found in some localities. Loan and mari
in England are considered the best ingred.
tents. Upon the materials employed de
pend the quality of the bricks and the pur.
poses for which they may be used. Thoy
arc pressed and dried by machinery to a
great extent now, though yards are often
started in the country where suitable CLAW
is found. and bricks mado by manual
labor. The finishing and ornamentation,
or which 80 much Is done. Is OF course
accomplished in larger places. whore ex-
perlenced workmen are employed. De.
tails IN the plans Of builainos arc often
delayed until 1t Is known what kind of
brick Is 10 be used. This being tho case
OF course only III places where only q
certain number Of whole bricks can be
placed, as between window ledges, e,Ils,
caps or stone quolns. The utility of brick
as slang word Is not to be denieJ. TO
call man brick Is to compliment him
exceedingly. In one word you tell hun
he is useful, upright, absorbent, retentive,
that his family History can be traced