Les matériaux de couverture des édifices religieux italiens entre l’Antiquité tardive et le Moyen Âge

Abstract

Abstract: This paper focuses on the roofing materials of medieval Italian churches, mainly made of terracotta, but also of wooden shingles and metal and stone slabs. Through a number of case studies, attested by written and material sources, various aspects are highlighted, notably the relationship with the solutions adopted in the Roman period and the manufacturing and laying techniques. Ecclesiastical buildings constitute a privileged observatory for analysing medieval roofing systems, particularly with regard to durable materials, since in residential buildings roofs were almost exclusively made of perishable materials. The complex production processes and the use of skilled craftmen in the construction of the roofs of these buildings feature a patronage essentially linked to episcopal and monastic/canon’s centres. These appear inclined to invest in the construction and maintenance of roofs, which not only have a functional value, but, given their high visibility, also assume a symbolic value and are strongly representative of the religious institution whose church they protect and exalt.

Keywords

• religious building
• roof
• clay tile
• tegula
• curved tile
• wooden shingle