Turn, Turn, Turn: The Construction of the Architectural Spiral Fluted Column in the Ancient Mediterranean World

Neither ancient nor modern sources have clarified the history and manufacturing techniques of the architectural, stone-carved, spiral fluted column in the ancient Mediterranean world. A literature review and extensive fieldwork provide the basis for this analysis of the origins and use of this design from second-millennium BCE Mesopotamia to the fourth-century CE Roman Empire. This study shows that the design and construction methods of the spiral fluted column are connected with those of the Archimedean water screw. It establishes the temporal, cultural, and geographic relationships of the spiral fluted column to the mechanical screw, and explores the methods used to produce this impressive element of ancient architecture.