The Laconian System

Abstract The second major roofing system in Archaic Greece is known as Laconian, an attribution known from later inscriptions’ but confirmed by the wealth of material of this type found in Sparta and the neighbouring territory (Map 2). Like the Corinthian system proper, the Laconian may have evolved from the Protocorinthian system (see Chapter 3, Fig. 1a-b),2 but taking its appearance from the curved elements of the slope rather than from the angular articulation along the eaves: both Protocorinthian and Laconian roofs have wide, concave pan tiles and narrower, convex cover tiles. In contrast to the Protocorinthian tiles, however, the Laconian ones are always separate elements, never combination tiles. As on the earliest Proto corinthian roof, that at Corinth, the tiles of the Laconian system are coloured, though black or red rather than yellow and black. The Laconian system appears to have been restricted during the Archaic period to use on temples or other buildings in a sanctuary, with pediments at both ends of the building; no hip tiles exist within the Laconian system which would indicate the use of a hip roof, and building models with Laconian system roofs show pediments at both ends.