Glossary · O
Opus incertum
Roman wall facing of small irregular stones set at random in the mortar of a concrete wall. Vitruvius judged it strong but not beautiful.
See also: Opus reticulatum, Opus caementicium
Rules that use the word
Opus reticulatum and opus incertum. Face a concrete wall either with small irregular stones set at random (opus incertum), which is strong though not handsome, or with small square-faced stones set diagonally in a net (opus reticulatum), which is handsome but, its joints running every way, more likely to crack.
Where it appears in the book
In the chapters Walls and Openings, The Classical World.
A feature of Ancient Roman architecture.
Nearby in the glossary
Onion dome · Open plan · Optical refinements · Opus caementicium · Opus mixtum · Opus quadratum · Opus reticulatum · Opus testaceum