the materials of which the roof of a house is composed. In the northern parts of Europe, and in this island itself, these materials were usually long reeds, or skins. The use of straw was introduced by the Romans; though probably the most respectable houses were covered with shingles, or boards, which are common in many parts of America. In former ages, the shingles were equally common in this island. The use of them continued in Edinburgh beyond the beginning, and in Cheshire below the middle, of the last century; and they were generally used at Rome for near five ages. Soon after, or perhaps at the same time, some of the houses were covered with tegulae, the Saxon tegulae, and the Armorican tegulae, or tiles, which were first invented at Cyprus, and introduced into Britain by the Romans. Some of the Roman buildings in Britain appear also to have been covered with slates, which were fastened to the roofs with long hooked nails of iron.