A micropalaeontologically based provenance analysis of masonry and floor tiles from the medieval cathedral of Paderborn (northern Germany)

Lübke, Nathalie; Mutterlose, Jörg; Börste, N.; Kaplan, Ulrich

doi:10.1111/arcm.12394

Cited by 3 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…The results, in combination with those of Lübke et al . (2018) and Kaplan (2009, 2012), indicate that in all construction phases studied, more than one geological formation was mined. The geological age of mortar sample A (IIa) suggests the Salder or Erwitte Formation as a potential source (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Provenance of the building stones, mortar and mortar‐based materials used: (A) Paderborn, including the results of Lübke et al (2018); and (B) St Nicolai, Lippstadt. The position of the sections is shown in Figure 1C.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Field reference samples have already been taken and analysed by Lübke et al . (2018). Four samples were collected from the northern cathedral castle wall, which at the same time served as the northern wall of the Palas Imperial (three mortar, one building stone sample) (Fig.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the study area (Münsterland, northern Germany) nannofossils were used as a tool for provenance analysis of building stones and floor tiles from Paderborn Cathedral (Lübke et al . 2018). Furthermore, mortar samples of different construction phases of Paderborn Cathedral were analysed with respect to their composition (Kühn 1986; Hormes et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Lübke et al . (2018), 10 building stone samples of phases IIa, IIb, III, IVa, IVc and V were analysed using calcareous nannofossils. The results reveal that in addition to the Erwitte Formation, the Oerlinghausen and the Salder Formations were quarried.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Calcareous nannofossils in medieval mortar and mortar‐based materials: A powerful tool for provenance analysis

Falkenberg

Mutterlose

Kaplan³

2020

Archaeometry

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Calcareous nannofossils—very small‐scaled marine microfossils—occur in many archaeological materials. Foremost, these include limestones used in masonry, material which has not experienced significant modification by humans. Poorly documented are nannofossils in mortars, because the burning process of quicklime requires the heating of the raw material to > 800°C. Here we focus on calcareous nannofossils in mortar and mortar‐based samples of four medieval buildings in northern Germany. The study documents the presence of nannofossils in historic mortars. It supplies evidence for the provenance of the mortars used, thereby introducing a new tool for mortar provenance studies.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Calcareous nannofossils in medieval mortar and mortar‐based materials: A powerful tool for provenance analysis

Falkenberg

Mutterlose

Kaplan³

2020

Archaeometry

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Towards a better understanding of historic mortar production—burning experiments on calcareous nannofossils

Falkenberg

Mutterlose

2022

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

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Calcareous nannofossils are < 30 µm sized calcitic fossil remains of single-celled marine photoautotrophic algae. Carbonate-rich sedimentary rocks, containing these fossils, are used as raw material for lime-based mortars. The carbonates (CaCO3) are heated up to approx. 900 °C. The burning process, which causes the thermal decomposition of CaCO3 into CaO (= quicklime) and CO2, destroys the calcitic fossils. Surprisingly, remains of these calcareous algae were recently encountered in historic mortars and mortar-based materials. To gain a better understanding of the behaviour of calcareous nannofossils during the calcination procedure, four sample sets were heated to nine temperature levels (100 °C, 300 °C, 500 °C, 600 °C, 700 °C, 750 °C, 800 °C, 850 °C, 900 °C). For each sample set, the initial and the heated material of all nine temperature levels were analysed with respect to its nannofossil content and preservation by using settling slides. Our results show a decrease of absolute abundance and preservation from 500 °C onwards; rare nannofossils are preserved up to 900 °C. Changes in the relative abundance of individual species document that certain taxa are more heat resistant than others. This pattern is explained by different crystal sizes and forms of the relevant taxa. Differences in the calcareous nannofossil assemblages, observed in the raw material and in the mortar produced from it, can be used to estimate the temperature reached during quicklime production.

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Understanding the provenance and production process of historic mortars—a novel approach employing calcareous nannofossils

Falkenberg,

Kaplan,

Mutterlose

2023

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

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Limestones (CaCO3) have been an important source for masonry and mortars throughout approx. 10,000 years of human history. They are often composed of calcitic shells of minute marine algae, known as calcareous nannofossils. The 0.25–30-µm large calcitic skeletons of these primary producers have been well documented from various archaeological materials including building stones of masonry. Surprisingly, these tiny microfossils were recently also observed in medieval mortars and mortar-based materials, even though the carbonate-based source rocks of the mortars have been heated in kilns for quicklime production. Burning experiments of carbonate-rich sedimentary rocks, containing well-preserved and abundant calcareous nannofossils, documented a deteriorating preservation and a decrease of diversity and relative abundance of the nannofossils with increasing temperatures.Alongside the lime-based binder historic mortars often contain under- and overburnt lime lumps and carbonate-rich aggregates; the latter were added after the heating process. Lime lumps and aggregates offer additional, so far not yet fully understood information on the burning process. Here, calcareous nannofossils were studied in ultra-thin sections of historic mortars, resulting in the separate analysis of the binder, lime lumps and aggregates. The findings allow (i) a more precise provenance of the limestones and (ii) a more accurate reconstruction of the temperatures reached during historic quicklime production. Our study thus improves the provenance analysis approach of limestones and sheds light on historic technology of mortar production by using calcareous nannofossils.

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A micropalaeontologically based provenance analysis of masonry and floor tiles from the medieval cathedral of Paderborn (northern Germany)

Cited by 3 publications

References 9 publications

Calcareous nannofossils in medieval mortar and mortar‐based materials: A powerful tool for provenance analysis

Calcareous nannofossils in medieval mortar and mortar‐based materials: A powerful tool for provenance analysis

Towards a better understanding of historic mortar production—burning experiments on calcareous nannofossils

Understanding the provenance and production process of historic mortars—a novel approach employing calcareous nannofossils

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