The origin of Greek stone architecture has always been one of the richest topos in archaeological and historical-architectural
literature. The debate is centered primarily on the myth that associates the origin of stone building with the appearance of
the orders. Discussions based on archaeological evidence showing that monumental stone architecture begins in Greece well
before the appearance of the architectural orders, are much less developed. In the area of
Corinth, two temples constructed
entirely in opus isodomum of limestone blocks appear in the first half of the 7th century BC, surprisingly much earlier than the
rest of Greece. Contextualizing the nature of these early stone walls, already relatively mature in terms of technique, is of great
importance to the history of Greek architecture.
This essay summarizes the conclusions of a direct analysis of the findings of
the Proto-Archaic temples in Corinth and Isthmia. From quarry operations to the crucial issue of lifting and the contextual
development of lifting machines, to installation and finishing techniques, this contribution offers a brief look at the first Greek
monumental building sites in an attempt to shed light on the historic passage from straminea construction to that in stone and
the conditions that brought it about.
