Meaning of word Stucco

Inaccuracy of terminologies: the meaning of word Stucco

An objective barrier in order to understand the definition of the word 'Venetian stuccowork' lies into the very ancient origins of this art, and into the fact that some words once used to describe and define it changed, more or less widely, their meanings along the time.

The very first help could come from locating and stating the period of time when the 'Venetian stuccowork' art originated and tracing the historical steps which caused the forming of these terms.

You will see later in the section 'history' of this publication, that Venetian stuccowork origins date back to more than five thousands years ago. It seems that architectural plasters were born in the eastern areas of Iran and thereon spreaded trough Mesopotamia.

Excavations on Malta island in the Tarxien complex brought to the light remains of plasters and decorations coming from a period dated from 3000 to 2500 B.C..

In 2000 B.C. witnesses of the use of plaster instead of the common baked clay and, as lime paste, instead of bitumen to attach the bricks to the vaults, could be found in the Elamitic people (populations coming from southern Iran, at the boundary with Mesopotamia, who outclassed since III millennium, influencing sumerian civilization, widely spreaded overall Mesopotamia, originating common Gods and writings).