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Post by Stash on Nov 9, 2004 8:22:34 GMT
You know how each mason that worked on KS's temple had to place a peculiar mark on his work. I realize since that temple & it's ruins were never found, nobody can know what the marks looked like, but does it say in ritual or lore anywhere or even show pictures of what some of those marks might have looked like??
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Post by Doric on Nov 9, 2004 8:31:34 GMT
It would be nice to think that those marks bore some resemblance to the marks used by Mark Master Masons today.
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Post by taylorsman on Nov 9, 2004 8:37:53 GMT
In those days many people could not read nor write in the sense that we do today. If one looks at old buildings such as castles, cathedrals etc the Masons Marks can be observed carven into the stones. I believe the mark that we use in the degree of that name is derived from these and it is usually based on one's initials.
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Agent J
Member
On a Mission from God...
Posts: 127
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Post by Agent J on Nov 9, 2004 7:41:05 GMT
Without wishing to blatantly advertise our website, there's a nice mark I discovered at Rosslyn Chapel a few weeks ago...have a butcher's at www.mastermason.com/fiveorderslodge and navigate to "Project Rosslyn"...
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Post by middlepillar on Nov 9, 2004 8:22:11 GMT
Any Mark except for that of the Triangle......
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Post by Jumile on Nov 9, 2004 12:19:54 GMT
As an interesting (for me, anyway) aside to this - and without meaning to hijack the thread - my company's offices are based in a converted 17th century stables in southern Oxfordshire - actually right where Jethro Tull did his greatest work (the real one, not the band ;D) - and I noticed the other day that one of the timber uprights has a distinct mark on it. It looks to have been made by a chisel (just stamped on the end, not carved), and looks almost like a 'Y' (though it's more like " `|"), followed by a vertical chisel stamp. So more or less " `| |". I've no idea what it means (unless it's simply "YI", the initials of the carpenter?). It appears to be very old, as they re-used much of the existing timber during the conversion. Since becoming a Mason, I've been keeping my eyes open for mason marks, but thus far this is my only catch.
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bod
Member
UGLE - MM (London), MMM RAM(Middx), OSM (London)
Posts: 1,296
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Post by bod on Nov 9, 2004 16:40:30 GMT
One other thing about masons marks is that they weren't intended to be on display. They were a way of tracking who had done what (kind of like piece work) and the craftsman would be paid accordingly. It was also a way for the foreman/master mason in charge to see who was producing what, and how good. The masons marks were usually made on the face of the stone that would be butted up against another stone, with the dressed face showing out
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Post by Doric on Nov 9, 2004 19:13:08 GMT
As an interesting (for me, anyway) aside to this - and without meaning to hijack the thread - my company's offices are based in a converted 17th century stables in southern Oxfordshire - actually right where Jethro Tull did his greatest work (the real one, not the band ;D) - and I noticed the other day that one of the timber uprights has a distinct mark on it. It looks to have been made by a chisel (just stamped on the end, not carved), and looks almost like a 'Y' (though it's more like " `|"), followed by a vertical chisel stamp. So more or less " `| |". I've no idea what it means (unless it's simply "YI", the initials of the carpenter?). It appears to be very old, as they re-used much of the existing timber during the conversion. Since becoming a Mason, I've been keeping my eyes open for mason marks, but thus far this is my only catch. Jumile These carpenters marks are a form of code helping the builders to identify where each timber fits in the jigsaw. I have a friend who has these all over his house!
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Post by Jumile on Nov 9, 2004 19:29:05 GMT
Doric: D'oh! Then the sum total of my discovered masons marks is back to zero.
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Post by Doric on Nov 9, 2004 22:47:03 GMT
Doric: D'oh! Then the sum total of my discovered masons marks is back to zero. Sorry
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Post by Stash on Nov 10, 2004 0:40:28 GMT
Agent J...Thank you for that link, I really wish I could get my hands on more photos like that!!
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ruffashlar
Member
Lodge Milncroft No. 1515 (GLoS), Govanhill Royal Arch Chapter 523 (S.G.R.A.C.S.)
Posts: 2,184
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Post by ruffashlar on Nov 10, 2004 1:22:11 GMT
"These carpenters marks are a form of code helping the builders to identify where each timber fits in the jigsaw. I have a friend who has these all over his house! "
Don't despair. I believe that is exactly what Mason's marks were originally intended as: marks to say "tab A goes into slot B", "this side up" and "other side facing out". The Tau-cross may have been a shorthand indicator of which way around to lay the stone so that it was properly in place and aligned to the vertical: a crude drawing of a Level _|_
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Agent J
Member
On a Mission from God...
Posts: 127
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Post by Agent J on Nov 10, 2004 7:50:59 GMT
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Post by offramp on Nov 10, 2004 17:40:39 GMT
Why do they all look like television aerials?
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bod
Member
UGLE - MM (London), MMM RAM(Middx), OSM (London)
Posts: 1,296
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Post by bod on Nov 10, 2004 17:43:47 GMT
So they are sure of a good reception??
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