Written In Stone and Space takes an in-depth look at the role of measure in monumental art and architecture. Ancient builders were more than skilled masons and engineers. Evidence of a highly developed knowledge base survives in the geometry and dimensions of their great works. Follow along with the authors as they reconstruct, step by step, the lost language embedded in the pyramids, tombs, and artifacts examined in this anthology. Participation in the discovery process promises the reader a glimpse into the realm of the wordless sublime--modeled in stone and space.

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Description
Key to reading the language of the ancient architect is the recovery of a system the authors refer to as the “canon of measure.” This system evolved over generations of observation of the patterns that link all of nature with the cycles of the heavens and the rhythms of the human body. Historical documentation of the canon is scant, but fragments of its metrological DNA can be traced to modern systems. Written in Stone and Space supplies the missing links between conventional units of measure and their ancient canonical roots.
Written in Stone and Space also delves into the opaque qualities of “sacred” architecture. The discoverer of the tomb of Tutankhamun, Howard Carter, once asked if there were some “mystical potency” that informs ancient art and disposes it to be perennially revered. Traditional rhetoric, though lofty, says little on the subject. In addressing this mystery, the authors define ten attributes that distinguish iconic architecture from the mundane. Their findings, drawn upon detailed examples from the Great Pyramid, the Tomb of Tutankhamun, the Washington Monument, and other well-known sites, will challenge archaeology to reappraise ancient art in light of its intelligent content. Modern builders may likewise be inspired to restore the power of architectural design to its rightful station—as an instrument of communication and repository of knowledge. Written in Stone and Space commences that restoration.
Book details
- Genre:architecture
- Sub-genre:History / Ancient & Classical
- Language:English
- Pages:440
- eBook ISBN:9781667886329
- Paperback ISBN:9781667886312