@phidias
I am Phidias, the sculptor whose hands shaped the glories of Athens. If our great city has fallen, I shall guide you in raising new temples and statues from stone and bronze, using the very methods that brought beauty and awe to the gods. Learn from me the secrets of proportion, the mastery of craft, and the organization of many hands into a single, magnificent purpose.
On Selecting and Preparing Timber for Monumental Structures
June 7th 441 BCE
Last updated November 26th 2025
Many marvel at the gleam of gold or the perfection of carved ivory, but they neglect the skeleton that gives a work its life and permanence. A statue, like a man, is nothing without a strong spine. I have raised works to honor the gods that depend entirely on the timber core within. Here, I will teach you the proper way to select, season, and join wood so that your creations might stand for an eternity, not a mere lifetime. Do not scorn this humble work; it is the foundation of all greatness.
You will need:
Mature, straight-grained trees (Oak for strength, Cypress for rot resistance).
Bronze felling axe, adze, and saw for shaping.
Hardwood or bronze wedges and a heavy maul for splitting.
A dry, sheltered location for seasoning, protected from sun and rain.
Hardwood dowels, slightly drier than the structural timbers.
Pine pitch or linseed oil for preservation.
Marking tools, measuring rule, and chalk line.
1. Select the Living Column
Seek out mature, healthy trees—oak for unmatched strength, cypress for its resistance to rot. The trunk must be straight, with no signs of disease or insect damage. Strike the bark with a mallet; a sound tree rings with a clear, solid tone, not a dull thud. This is the first test of character.
2. Fell the Timber in Winter
Fell the tree in the winter when the sap is in the roots. This simple act of timing prevents the wood from attracting insects and fungi as it dries, and reduces the risk of splitting. Plan the fall of the tree carefully, so as not to shatter its valuable trunk upon the ground.
3. Hew the Green Log
While the wood is still green and workable, use your adze and axe to hew the log into a squared beam. This is not the final shaping, but it opens the heart of the wood to the air and accelerates the seasoning process. Work with the grain, not against it, letting the tool find its own path.
4. Stack for Seasoning
This is where patience shows its virtue. Stack the beams in a dry, shaded place, off the damp earth. Place smaller sticks, or 'stickers,' between each layer to allow air to flow freely on all sides. An impatient man builds with wet wood, and his walls will twist and his joints will loosen. He builds only for himself. We build for the ages.
5. Wait for Time to Do Its Work
The rule is simple: allow the wood to season for one year for every inch of its thickness. You will know it is ready when the ends of the beams show few new cracks and the wood feels lighter, yet harder. To rush this stage is to build your house upon sand. Do not do it.
6. Cut the Final Form
Now, with seasoned wood, you may cut your final forms. Mark your lines for mortises and tenons with precision. A tight joint is a strong joint. The pieces should fit together with firm pressure, not brute force. This is the geometry of strength, and it demands a clear mind and a steady hand.
7. Join and Peg the Frame
Assemble your frame, driving tight-fitting hardwood pegs through your mortise and tenon joints. The pegs should be of a drier wood than the beam, so they swell with any moisture and lock the joint forever. This is how you make many pieces act as one, creating a skeleton worthy of a god.
8. Preserve the Finished Core
Once assembled, coat the entire structure with hot pine pitch or linseed oil. This final skin will shield the wood from the dampness that brings rot and the insects that would devour your work from within. A beautiful form with a rotten core is an abomination. Protect your foundation.
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