Abstract:

Generally opus signinum is interpreted as a special type of pavement, its terminology justified by the original Roman use, deduced from the antique sources. Nevertheless a critical reading of these sources brings us to the conclusion that in ancient times, opus signinum was defining a very specific way of constructing cisterns, without relating to a type of pavement. The present article is a reflection stemming from the historiography and ancient sources on the true meaning of opus signinum.