Unlike the medieval master mason directly engaged with the materiality of building, modernday architects exercise a remote control over building dealing primarily with drawings, models and texts.
They added that one mason had already been employed for about three years and a second one for eighteen months, for the task of extracting fossils.
Most commoners were either agricultural labourers or worked in trades, for example as blacksmiths, carpenters and masons, or engaged in cottage textiles, as dressmakers or shoemakers.
In 1826 these included barometer maker, furniture broker, glass dealer, marble mason, goldsmith and fishmonger.
They work in mixed gangs under a male supervisor who is often an outsider, as is the mason for whom they carry bricks.
The commune, populated by 2,000 migrant masons and seasonal workers, was the site of bodily contortions and spiritual upheaval.
If you order a mason to build an oven, he immediately inquires about the progress of the peace, and descants on the preliminaries.
He recently hired masons to install a new, beautiful and expensive, wrought iron door.
