The oldest record of barrel vaults is estimated to date back to 4000 BC. These provided the spans in the Sumerian ziggurat at Nippur in Babylonia, built from fired bricks amalgamated with clay mortar. This type of vault was built as a continuous round arch and became a characteristic architectural element of Roman architecture, later used also in Renaissance architecture.
_Maureen_M._Evans.jpg?1646840531 "© Maureen M. Evans")
The vault is a load-bearing structural form made out of several arches, which transfer loads to an abutment or pillar on both sides. They work structurally in compression in an even way throughout their form. Historically made out of stone or brick, this type of vault requires very precise dimensions since the vectors of pressure result in a downward force on the crown while the lower portions of the arches perform the lateral force pushing outwards.
