What is a quackpan?
The quackpan is the earliest known form of the curved Dutch roof tile: a forerunner and variant of the old hollow tile, or pantile. It is a simple hollow tile with a raised ridge or roll along one side. The Dutch word “quack” or “kwak” probably refers to that ridge, which kept out wind-driven rain better than the ordinary hollow tile.
Place in the history of the roof tile
| Period | Development |
|---|---|
| Middle Ages | Roofs of separate under and over tiles (similar to Spanish or mission tiling) laid alternately; heavy and material-intensive |
| Second half of the 15th century | The quackpan combines under and over tile in one piece. In Zwolle it is recorded under this name in 1466 |
| Around 1500 | The curved hollow tile develops from the quackpan; much lighter than a double-tiled roof, it spreads beyond the Netherlands |
| Later | The curved hollow tile becomes the basis of the familiar Dutch pantile |
The big advantage of the combined tile was a lighter roof. This meant many existing timber houses with light roof structures could be given a tiled roof.
Features
- Hollow tile with a pronounced ridge along one side
- Early examples have a sanded and sometimes glazed upper surface for durability
- Later examples have a smoother, wiped surface
- A rare tile, known mainly from finds in Zwolle and the IJssel region
What to do with a find
- Don’t throw it away. Old roof tiles found during demolition, renovation or in a garden can be of historic value.
- Record the find spot: photos, location, depth or roof slope, and any associated finds.
- Contact the local authority archaeologist, conservation officer or a regional heritage body.
- Working on a listed building? Old tiles are ideally reused in restoration; agree the approach with the local authority first.
Related terms
- Hollow pantile
- Dutch pantile
- Concave and convex roof tiles
- History of roof tiles
- Cover tile
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