“Oak… lasts for an unlimited period when buried in underground structures.”

— Vitruvius , book De architectura

...when exposed to moisture... it cannot take in liquid on account of its compactness, but, withdrawing from the moisture, it resists it and warps, thus making cracks.
Source: De architectura (The Ten Books On Architecture) (~ 15BC), Book II, Chapter IX, Sec. 8

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Vitruvius 203

Roman writer, architect and engineer -80–-15 BC

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