Into the fire

摘要

Ever since the first brick was fired 5,000 years ago, the progression in methods of firing has been driven by cost, and the need to make a profit and produce a durable product. The first fired bricks were made by the Babylonians in modern-day Iraq using river clay, and were fired in clamps or scove kilns at temperatures of around 550°C. Thanks in part to the country's climate, buildings built with these bricks have lasted nearly 3,000 years. It was the Romans who brought brick and tilemaking to England, but after they left the skills were lost. The use of brick and tile only reappeared in the Middle Ages, first with the import of Flemish products and then of their technology - again, this was driven by economics and a lack of durable building products in parts of the country.