A mason's mark is an engraved
symbol
A symbol is a mark, sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, object, or relationship. Symbols allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by creating linkages between otherwise very different conc ...
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 is a common English language surname and given name:
*James (name), the typically masculine first name James
* James (surname), various people with the last name James
James or James City may also refer to:
People
* King James (disambiguat ...
's Master of Works,
William Schaw, 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 area. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradesmen belonging to a professional association. They sometim ...
, every
mason had to enter his name and his mark in a register. There are three types of marks used by
stonemasons.
*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 to 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 or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
, 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
The Order of Mark Master Masons is an appendant order of Freemasonry that exists in some Masonic jurisdictions, and confers the degrees of ''Mark Mason'' and ''Mark Master''.
Purpose
Similarly to Craft Freemasonry, Mark Masonry conveys moral a ...
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 mason's marks
File:Steinhoggermerke 58 C Nidaros.jpg, Mason's mark from Nidaros Cathedral
Nidaros Cathedral ( no, Nidarosdomen / Nidaros Domkirke) is a Church of Norway cathedral located in the city of Trondheim in Trøndelag county. It is built over the burial site of King Olav II (c. 995–1030, reigned 1015–1028), who became t ...
, Trondheim
Trondheim ( , , ; sma, Tråante), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2020, it had a population of 205,332, was the third most populous municipality in Norway, an ...
, Norway, late 12th century
File:Steinhoggermerke Vår Frue kirke.jpg, Masons's mark from Vår Frue Church
Vår Frue Church ( no, Vår Frue kirke / en, Our Lady's 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 area of the city of Trondheim, ...
, Trondheim
Trondheim ( , , ; sma, Tråante), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2020, it had a population of 205,332, was the third most populous municipality in Norway, an ...
, 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, France, early 13th century
File:Masons mark St. Honorat.jpg, Mason's mark in the Église Saint-Honorat in Alyscamps France, early 13th century
File:Athenry Priory Arrowhead as Mason's Mark 2009 09 03.jpg, Arrowhead-shaped mason's mark in Athenry 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 in the borough Steglitz-Zehlendorf.
The Jagdschloss was b ...
, 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, North Yorkshire, England
File:Canton Viaduct Masons Marks.jpg, Mason's marks on the Canton Viaduct, Massachusetts, USA, 1834–1835
File:Trier Porta Nigra Steinmetzzeichen MAC.jpg, Roman mason's mark at the Porta Nigra
The Porta Nigra (Latin for ''black gate'') is a large Roman city gate in Trier, Germany. It is today the largest Roman city gate north of the Alps. It was designated as part of the Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St Peter and Church of Our Lady i ...
in Trier
Trier ( , ; lb, Tréier ), formerly known in English as Trèves ( ;) and Triers (see also names in other languages), is a city on the banks of the Moselle in Germany. It lies in a valley between low vine-covered hills of red sandstone in the ...
, Germany
File:Mason's mark (Walpole St Peter).jpg, Horizontal Wolfsangel
(, translation "wolf's hook") or () is a heraldic charge from 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 French) th ...
as a mason's mark, St Peter's Church, Walpole St Peter, Norfolk, England, 15th century
See also
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Benchmark (surveying)
*
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 and Scandinavia.
These marks have t ...
*
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
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References
Further reading
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External links
Examples of Mason's marksSite detailing Mason's Marks in Scotland
{{Authority control
Freemasonry
Masonic symbolism
Stonemasonry
Symbols
Inscriptions