Mason's Mark
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A mason's mark is an engraved
symbol A symbol is a mark, Sign (semiotics), sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, physical object, object, or wikt:relationship, relationship. Symbols allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by cr ...
often found on dressed
stone In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its Chemical compound, chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks ...
in buildings and other public structures.


In stonemasonry

Regulations issued in Scotland in 1598 by
James VI James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince Ja ...
's Master of Works,
William Schaw William Schaw (c. 1550–1602) was Masters of Work to the Crown of Scotland, Master of Works to James VI of Scotland and Anne of Denmark for building castles and palaces, and is claimed to have been an important figure in the development of Free ...
, stated that on admission to the
guild A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular territory. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradespeople belonging to a professional association. They so ...
, every
mason Mason may refer to: Occupations * Mason, brick mason, or bricklayer, a worker who lays bricks to assist in brickwork, or who lays any combination of stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or similar pieces * Stone mason, a craftsman in the stone-cutti ...
had to enter his name and his mark in a register. There are three types of marks used by
stonemasons Stonemasonry or stonecraft is the creation of buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone as the primary material. Stonemasonry is the craft of shaping and arranging stones, often together with mortar and even the ancient lime mortar ...
. *Banker marks were made on stones before they were sent to be used by the walling masons. These marks served to identify the banker mason who had prepared the stones for their paymaster. This system was employed only when the stone was paid for by measure, rather than by time worked. For example, the 1306 contract between Richard of Stow, mason, and the Dean and Chapter of Lincoln Cathedral, specified that the plain walling would be paid for by measure, and indeed banker marks are found on the blocks of walling in this cathedral. Conversely, the masons responsible for walling the eastern parts of Exeter Cathedral were paid by the week, and consequently few banker marks are found on this part of the cathedral. Banker marks make up the majority of masons' marks, and are generally what are meant when the term is used without further specification. *Assembly marks were used to ensure the correct installation of important pieces of stonework. For example, the stones on the window jambs in the chancel of North Luffenham church in Rutland are each marked with a Roman numeral, directing the order in which the stones were to be installed. * Quarry stones were used to identify the source of a stone, or occasionally the quality.


In Freemasonry

Freemasonry Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...
, a fraternal order that uses an analogy to stonemasonry for much of its structure, also makes use of marks. A Freemason who takes the degree of Mark Master Mason will be asked to create his own Mark, as a type of unique signature or identifying badge. Some of these can be quite elaborate.


Gallery of masons' marks

File:Steinhoggermerke 58 C Nidaros.jpg, Mason's mark from
Nidaros Cathedral Nidaros Cathedral () is a Church of Norway cathedral located in the city of Trondheim in Trøndelag county. It is built over the burial site of Olav II of Norway, King Olav II ( 995–1030, reigned 1015–1028), who became the patron saint of th ...
,
Trondheim Trondheim ( , , ; ), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros, and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2022, it had a population of 212,660. Trondheim is the third most populous municipality in Norway, and is ...
, Norway, late 12th century File:Steinhoggermerke Vår Frue kirke.jpg, Masons's mark from
Vår Frue Church Vår Frue Church ( / ) is a medieval parish church of the Church of Norway in Trondheim Municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the downtown Midtbyen, Trondheim, Midtbyen area of the city of Trondheim, just a few blocks north ...
,
Trondheim Trondheim ( , , ; ), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros, and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2022, it had a population of 212,660. Trondheim is the third most populous municipality in Norway, and is ...
, Norway, 12th century File:Coimbra 2.jpg, Mason's mark on exterior of Coimbra Cathedral, Portugal, 12th century File:Coimbra 3.jpg, Mason's mark on exterior of Coimbra Cathedral, Portugal, 12th century File:Coimbra 4.jpg, Mason's mark on interior column of Coimbra Cathedral, Portugal, 12th century File:Mason's mark St. Honorat 5.jpg, Mason's mark in the in
Alyscamps The Alyscamps is a large Roman necropolis, which is a short distance outside the walls of the old town of Arles, France. It was one of the most famous necropolises of the ancient world. The name comes from the Provençal Occitan word ''Aliscam ...
, France, early 13th century File:Masons mark St. Honorat.jpg, Mason's mark in the Église Saint-Honorat in
Alyscamps The Alyscamps is a large Roman necropolis, which is a short distance outside the walls of the old town of Arles, France. It was one of the most famous necropolises of the ancient world. The name comes from the Provençal Occitan word ''Aliscam ...
France, early 13th century File:Athenry Priory Arrowhead as Mason's Mark 2009 09 03.jpg, Arrowhead-shaped mason's mark in
Athenry Athenry (; ) is a town in County Galway, Ireland, which lies east of Galway city. Some of the attractions of the medieval town are its town wall, Athenry Castle, its priory and its 13th-century street-plan. The town is also well known by virt ...
Priory, Ireland, 13th century File:Jagdschloß Grunewald-33.jpg, Mason's mark close to the Lintel at the
Jagdschloss Grunewald The Jagdschloss Grunewald, a hunting lodge, is the oldest preserved castle of Berlin, Germany. It is on the south waterfront of the Grunewaldsee and is part of the locality Dahlem (Berlin), Dahlem in the borough Steglitz-Zehlendorf. The Jagdsc ...
, Germany File:Henry House Stone Wall 1, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada - August 2019.jpg, Mason's mark on Henry House in Halifax, Canada, from 1834 File:Stone Mason marks as seen in the Chapter House of Fountains Abbey.jpg, Mason's marks from
Fountains Abbey Fountains Abbey is one of the largest and best preserved ruined Cistercians, Cistercian monasteries in England. It is located approximately south-west of Ripon in North Yorkshire, near the village of Aldfield. Founded in 1132, the abbey operat ...
, North Yorkshire, England File:Canton Viaduct Masons Marks.jpg, Mason's marks on the
Canton Viaduct Canton Viaduct is a blind arcade cavity wall in Canton, Massachusetts, built in 1834–35 for the Boston and Providence Railroad. At its completion, it was the longest () and tallest () railroad viaduct in the world; today, it is the last surv ...
, Massachusetts, USA, 1834–1835 File:Trier Porta Nigra Steinmetzzeichen MAC.jpg, Roman mason's mark at the
Porta Nigra The Porta Nigra (Latin language, Latin for ''black gate''), referred to by locals as Porta, is a large Roman Empire, Roman city gate in Trier, Germany. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The name ''Porta Nigra'' originated in the Middle Ages d ...
in
Trier Trier ( , ; ), formerly and traditionally known in English as Trèves ( , ) and Triers (see also Names of Trier in different languages, names in other languages), is a city on the banks of the Moselle (river), Moselle in Germany. It lies in a v ...
, Germany File:Mason's mark (Walpole St Peter).jpg, Horizontal
Wolfsangel (, translation "wolf's hook") or () is a heraldic charge from mainly Germany and eastern France, which was inspired by medieval European wolf traps that consisted of a Z-shaped metal hook (called the ''Wolfsangel'', or the ''crampon'' in F ...
as a mason's mark,
St Peter's Church, Walpole St Peter __NOTOC__ St Peter's Church is an active Anglican parish church in Walpole St Peter, Norfolk, England. One of the largest churches in the county, it is known as "the Cathedral of the Fens". It is in the Diocese of Ely. The largely Perpendicular ar ...
, Norfolk, England, 15th century


See also

*
Benchmark (surveying) The term benchmark, bench mark, or survey benchmark originates from the chiseled horizontal marks that surveyors made in stone structures, into which an angle iron could be placed to form a "bench" for a leveling rod, thus ensuring that a le ...
*
Builder's signature A builder's signature, sometimes known as a craftsman's signature, tradesman's signature, or workman's signature, is a type of signature associated with several skilled trades in which a tradesperson inscribes their name on a structure during or a ...
* Carpenter's mark *
House mark A house mark was originally a mark of property, later also used as a family or clan emblem, incised on the facade of a building, on animals, in signet and similar in the farmer and burgher culture of Germany, the Netherlands and the Nordic co ...
*
Merchant's mark A merchant's mark is an emblem or device adopted by a merchant, and placed on goods or products sold by him in order to keep track of them, or as a sign of authentication. It may also be used as a mark of identity in other contexts. History ...


References


Further reading

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External links


Examples of Masons' marksThe Masons' Marks Project (Scotland)Scottish Stonemasons' Marks Project
{{Authority control Masonic symbolism Stonemasonry Symbols Inscriptions