The Origins of Stonemasonry
Masonry is the preparation and combination of stones to indent and lie on each other and become masses of walling and arching, for the purposes of building. Stonemasonry is one of the earliest crafts in the history of civilization.
The New Stone Age, began about 9500 BC in the Middle East, and is traditionally considered the last part of the Stone Age. It was a period in the development of human technology, and archaeological data indicate that c. 8000–3000 BC various forms of domestication of plants and animals arose independently in six separate locales worldwide in southwestern and southern Asia, northern and central Africa and Central America. This “Neolithic Revolution” provided the basis for high population density settlements, requiring non-portable architecture. During this period people learned how to use fire to create quicklime, plasters, and mortars. They used these to fashion homes for themselves with mud, straw, or stone, and masonry was born. The Ancient civilizations then learned to cut and shape stone and thus were born the stonemasons who built impressive and long lasting monuments such as the Egyptian pyramids, and the Incan and Peruvian step pyramids. Egypt, Chaldea, Phoenicia, India, and China are the first countries to record masonry worthy of the name.
Egypt: By 4000 BC, Egypt had developed an elaborate cut-stone technique. It was to endure for over three millennia and it is perhaps the most instantly recognizable of all ancient cultures today. Egyptian architecture was colossal and rich in symbolism. The prevailing thought of the Egyptian was death. Existing Egyptian temples were aligned with astronomically significant events, requiring precise measurements at the moment of the particular event.
Phoenicia: Phoenicia was an ancient civilization in Canaan (roughly corresponding to the region encompassing modern-day Israel, Palestinian territories, Lebanon, and the western parts of Jordan) from c. 4000 BC. Phoenician architecture may have been influenced by that of Egypt or may have developed independently. The Hebrew Bible mentions the cities of Phoenicia being strongholds and walled in. The architecture of the Phoenicians began with the fashioning of the abundant native rock and there is archaeological evidence that they built impressive, though not artistic, palaces, temples, and tombs.
Greece: Stone masonry appears to have spread from Egypt to the island of Minoa in the Mediterranean sea around 2000 BC (giving rise to the grand Minoan palaces), and thence to Greece by the migration of the Dorians in 1000 BC, who developed Doric, Corinthian, and Ionic architectural styles.
Solomon's Temple - Artists recreation
King Solomon’s Temple: The Hebrews were a nomadic race who were enslaved in Egypt for centuries till their exodus c. 1400 BC guided by Moses. Yet, they never had enough opportunity to master the art and science of building in Egypt. When they arrived in Canaan/Phoenicia after wandering in the desert they were still nomads with very little skills or knowledge. Being preoccupied by war they had very little newly acquired capabilities by the time they captured Jerusalem c. 1000 BC. When Solomon became king, he was in need of artisans, architects, craftsmen, builders and building material to build a temple and palace as desired by his predecessor and father David. The best known and most gifted people who could help fulfill the king's needs were the Phoenicians famed for their construction at that time.
Scholars agree that Solomon applied to Hiram the King of Tyre for assistance in the construction of his temple. Archaeologist, Charles Warren was the first to document certain masons' marks on the foundation stones which were believed to be letters of the Phoenician alphabet, thereby establishing the Biblical statement concerning the Phoenician origin of the edifice.
And King Hiram replied “I am sending you Huram-Abi, a man of great skill, whose mother was from Dan and whose father was from Tyre. He is trained to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, stone and wood, and with purple and blue and crimson yarn and fine linen.
Solomon's Stables - Jerusalem
He is experienced in all kinds of engraving and can execute any design given to him. He will work with your skilled workers and with those of my lord, David your father (2 Chronicles 2: 13-14).
Thus according to the Hebrew Bible, Huram was the architect who built King Solomon’s temple using stone and craftsmen from Phoenicia, and workers from Hebron. In the Old Testament (1 Kings 7: 14) we find him referred to as “the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre”. The name Huram-Abi is not a misspelling. It is akin to the name Hammur-Abi, and is pronounced “hyoo' ram-ah' bih”, and means “my father is an exalted brother” (Holman Bible Dictionary).
There is some material evidence that Phoenician temples incorporated two pillars: one for Astarte and one for Baal, and this influence was probably carried through in the Temple of Solomon. The Temple was completely destroyed in 587 BC by the Babylonians when they captured Jerusalem and we have no historical or archeological record, other than biblical, as to its building or nature.
Italy: The Etruscans, who migrated from Asia Minor to nearby Tuscany (Italy), picked up the craft from the Greeks during the 8th and 7th century BC and developed their own architectural style. In the 10th century BC, a small agricultural community was founded on the Italian Peninsula and developed into Ancient Rome which expanded into one of the largest empires in the ancient world. The Romans began to absorb and synthesize influences from both the Etruscans and the Greeks, and built hundreds of roads, bridges, aqueducts, baths, theaters and arenas. Technological advancements were often divided and based on masonry.