cinque cento, or a still later and more debased style of ornamentation. The usually grandiose effect, however, very generally conceals, building workmanship of a very inferior quality.
The building materials of the kingdom generally, are lavas and tufa in the volcanic districts, limestone of various qualities, and brick (these are by far the most prevalent); and, in their respective localities, some sandstones, slaty rocks, and very rarely those from the ancient igneous rocks.
Limestone and brick are the staple materials of the regions to which this Report principally refers, except those of Naples and Melfi. The limestone is very seldom found, either in the jurassic or cretaceous formations, well bedded, or capable of being raised in long flat blocks. Lime is abundant, but the mortar often of very slender cohesion, from too great a proportion of lime and the want of a proper quality of sharp sand. Hence the general style of construction of wall, even in first-class buildings, consists of a coarse, short-bedded, ill-laid rubble masonry, with great thickness of mortar joints, very thick walls, without any attention to thorough bonding whatever. The opes of windows and doors often have cut limestone jambs, lintels, and dressings, which are but ill connected with the rest of the walls. In general, the external faces of the walls are concealed by plaster or rough east. This is even the usual style of building for the better class of churches and monasteries. It has prevailed from a remote period, and a fair average illustration of its appearance is seen in the west end of the Villa Carasso near Auletta (No. 11, Coll. Roy. Soc.).
