05/09/2007
The tools and materials they used
Every mason brought with him two blankets rolled up, and with a rope he put them diagonally over his shoulder and the pouch, the torvas, which was made of leather or thick white cloth, canvas, that held his tools.
The technical means and tools they had available to them were very simple, and this accentuates their skill even more.
The tools used by the masons of Tzoumerka were similar (Kosmas):
1. The hammer, tsioki they called it. With this they refined the stones.
2. The matrakas and the needle; made of steel. They removed the thick pieces from the stones with this.
3. The biggos. It was like the hammer, only one side was pointy. With this tool they squared the cornerstones.
4. The xtenia and kalemi (chisel). These were also made of steel. With these they smoothed the surfaces of the cornerstones.
5. The kopanos (mallet). It was like the matrakas, only both surfaces had small teeth. With the kopanos they removed the bumps from the cornerstones left by the xtenia.
6. The kalemoxtenia. It was a kalemi (chisel) that ended in a xteni. With the kalemoxtenia they straightened the face of the stone.
7. The gonia. With this they angled the lintels and removed any imperfection of the stone. With the gonia they also did leveling, before the level existed.
8. The plumb line (zygi). With this they measured the corners of the house, the pillars on the doors and the windows and generally the walls. The old plumb line that had the shape of a money box they called koumpra, while the newer one that was shaped like a top was called zygi.
9. The trowel. With this they spread the mortar during construction and also for the joints.
10. The paseto, meter. They used it to measure dimensions.
11. The alfadi (level). They leveled with this.
12. The ramma. They used it in the digging of the foundation and the building of the walls.
13. The hammer and saw. These were used for the wood of the roof.
14. The sfyra. Before the matrakas, the xtenia and the needle came out, the sfyra existed. A very old tool. With the sfyra they chiseled the cornerstones and generally the stones placed on the façade and the bala.
|