Mineralogical clustering of the structural mortars from the Sarno Baths, Pompeii: A tool to interpret construction techniques and relative chronologies

Secco, Michele; Previato, Caterina; Addis, Anna; Zago, G.; Kamsteeg, Angelique; Dilaria, Simone; Artioli, Gilberto; Bonetto, Jacopo

doi:10.1016/j.culher.2019.04.016

Cited by 29 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…The archaeological sector is mainly interested in the dating of the masonries, origin of raw materials, technologies for the realization of the mixtures, and contribution to the knowledge of the construction phases. The data obtained must also make it possible to obtain information on the socio-economic conditions existing at the time of manufacturing [25][26][27][28][29]. The research sector is mainly aimed at understanding the factors that have contributed to the particular durability of a mortar, with the aim of developing new types of binders and mortars [30][31][32][33][34][35][36].…”

Section: Historical Background On the Study Of Mortarsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optical and Electronic Microscope for Minero-Petrographic and Microchemical Studies of Lime Binders of Ancient Mortars

Cantisani¹,

Fratini²,

Pecchioni

2021

Minerals

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In this paper, the advances in the use of optical and electronic microscope for study of the minero-petrographic and microchemical features of lime binders of ancient mortars are discussed for various case studies. Mortars belonging to several historic periods and with different functions in building structures and archaeological sites were selected in order to verify the complementarity of optical and electronic microscope analyses applied to these artificial materials. The data obtained with the application of optical and microscope analyses were able to provide detailed and more precise information on the composition, structure, and texture of lime binders, highlighting the features of air hardening calcitic lime binder, air hardening magnesian lime binder, natural hydraulic lime binder, and air hardening binders with materials providing hydraulic characteristics added. Furthermore, a complete analysis and classification of the lime lumps was determined.

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Section: Historical Background On the Study Of Mortarsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optical and Electronic Microscope for Minero-Petrographic and Microchemical Studies of Lime Binders of Ancient Mortars

Cantisani¹,

Fratini²,

Pecchioni

2021

Minerals

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“…A study by Eliyahu‐Behar et al (2009) showed that aragonite formed in plaster coatings applied to ceramic casting molds of Roman age, and that its occurrence might be linked to the presence of Mg in the underlying ceramic matrix. It is known that aragonite forms in hydraulic mortars and cements as a secondary phase, although not from the carbonation of Ca(OH) 2 (e.g., Secco et al, 2019). In either case, the presence of more soluble aragonite together with calcite indicates good overall preservation of plaster through time.…”

Section: Archaeological Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

The significance of aragonite in the interpretation of the microscopic archaeological record

Toffolo

2020

Geoarchaeology

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Aragonite is one of the metastable polymorphs of calcium carbonate and is commonly found at archaeological sites in the form of mollusk shells and speleothems. Other occurrences include corals, fish otoliths, seed endocarps, wood ash, and lime plaster. These materials contain microscopic embedded information of fundamental importance for the assessment of the state of preservation of the archaeological record, the reconstruction of paleoenvironments, the identification of pyrotechnological processes, and the establishment of absolute chronologies. However, this information can be used only if the aragonite found at archaeological sites preserves its pristine structure and chemistry. Aragonite is metastable at ambient conditions and tends to dissolve and recrystallize into secondary aragonite or calcite, a process that entails the loss of its original elemental and isotopic signature. Therefore, well‐grounded archaeological interpretations depend on the correct identification of aragonite and the careful characterization of its basic properties. This article reviews the dissolution processes of different types of aragonite, the methods used for their identification, and the archaeological information that can be extracted. Particular emphasis is given to the discussion of key issues regarding absolute dating and postdepositional processes of archaeological sediments, and to a detailed overview of the recently observed pyrogenic aragonite.

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“…The identification of the volcanic materials used as fine aggregate in the mortars of the Roman era and the criteria for their selection and use over the centuries have been addressed in numerous studies and publications over the past 20 years (D'Ambrosio et al, 2015; Jackson et al, 2007, 2009, 2010; Marra & D'Ambrosio, 2013; Marra et al, 2013; Marra, D'Ambrosio, et al, 2015; Marra, Danti, & Gaeta, 2015; Secco et al, 2019, 2020). In particular, the petrographic analysis in thin section has been integrated with a geochemical ‘fingerprinting’ method based on the properties of trace elements (i.e., Zr, Y, Nb, Th, Ta and Ti) insensitive to alteration processes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Petrographical and geochemical criteria for a chronology of Roman mortars between the first century bce and the second century ce: The Curia of Pompey the Great

Marra

D'Ambrosio²,

Gaeta

et al. 2022

Archaeometry

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Thirteen samples of mortar collected from different masonry structures of the Curia of Pompey the Great and from three mixtilinear basins located within the Sacred Area of Largo Argentina of Rome were studied. Despite the use of the same volcanic deposit, known as ‘Pozzolane Rosse’, to produce the fine aggregate in all these mortars, it was possible to highlight some distinctive features through the combination of geochemical analyses on selected trace elements and petrographic analysis under an optical microscope, allowing the three groups of mortars to be distinguished. These types of mortars reflect a perfect coincidence between the diversity of the volcanic materials used and the different construction phases identified and documented by the analysis of the stratigraphic units: a first construction phase of Pompeian age, a second phase of Augustan age and a final phase in the medieval period. Furthermore, it was possible to ascertain two phases of construction of the basins, the second coeval with the interventions of the Augustan period. Finally, this study increases knowledge about the methods of exploitation and selection of volcanic materials used to produce mortars in the Roman period, identifying additional elements useful to establish their origin and chronology of use.

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Mineralogical clustering of the structural mortars from the Sarno Baths, Pompeii: A tool to interpret construction techniques and relative chronologies

Cited by 29 publications

References 26 publications

Optical and Electronic Microscope for Minero-Petrographic and Microchemical Studies of Lime Binders of Ancient Mortars

Optical and Electronic Microscope for Minero-Petrographic and Microchemical Studies of Lime Binders of Ancient Mortars

The significance of aragonite in the interpretation of the microscopic archaeological record

Petrographical and geochemical criteria for a chronology of Roman mortars between the first century bce and the second century ce: The Curia of Pompey the Great

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