MING DYNASTY WALLS
Ming-era brick-firing kiln.
By the time the Ming Dynasty rolled around in the 14th century, Chinese construction design and techniques had made a quantum leap in sophistication. The Ming walls were built mostly with standard sized bricks, huge granite blocks, and locally quarried rocks. These impressive Ming sections of the Great Wall stand about 25 feet (7.5 m) high, and anywhere from 15-30 feet (4.5-9m) wide at the base.
For the first time, kiln-fired bricks were used in the construction. About four times larger than a modern brick, these Ming bricks were mass-produced by a network of kilns (some of them still in existence).
To ensure maximum strength through dehydrating all moisture, they fired huge stacks of bricks for seven days at temperatures around 1150 degrees Celsius. Visitors will notice that some bricks are stamped with a name and/or date to ensure quality control.
Modern studies have found the bricks and mortar to be surprisingly sturdy. The mortar was made from a mixture of clay, lime, and a “secret ingredient” (recently discovered to be rice flour).
MING DYNASTY WALLSMing-era brick-firing kiln.By the time the Ming Dynasty rolled around in the 14th century, Chinese construction design and techniques had made a quantum leap in sophistication. The Ming walls were built mostly with standard sized bricks, huge granite blocks, and locally quarried rocks. These impressive Ming sections of the Great Wall stand about 25 feet (7.5 m) high, and anywhere from 15-30 feet (4.5-9m) wide at the base.For the first time, kiln-fired bricks were used in the construction. About four times larger than a modern brick, these Ming bricks were mass-produced by a network of kilns (some of them still in existence).To ensure maximum strength through dehydrating all moisture, they fired huge stacks of bricks for seven days at temperatures around 1150 degrees Celsius. Visitors will notice that some bricks are stamped with a name and/or date to ensure quality control.Modern studies have found the bricks and mortar to be surprisingly sturdy. The mortar was made from a mixture of clay, lime, and a “secret ingredient” (recently discovered to be rice flour).
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