Radiocarbon Dating of Architectural Mortar: A Case Study in the Maya Region, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Mathews, Jennifer P

doi:10.1179/jfa.2001.28.3-4.395

Cited by 18 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 15 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Moreover, the possibility to directly date, by means of mortars, the manufacture of the structures represents a potential to avoid eventual biases due to the 14 C analysis of organic materials found at the study site. For such materials, in fact, erroneous stratigraphic interpretation and/or on/offsite material reusage leading to age estimation biases cannot be estimated a priori, possibly adding extra costs to the development of the study (Bowman 1990;Van Strydonck 1986;Mathews 2001;Hale et al 2003;Rech 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

¹⁴C Mortar Dating: The Case of the Medieval Shayzar Citadel, Syria

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper reports the results from applying the Cryo2SoniC (Cryobreaking, Sonication, Centrifugation) protocol to some lime mortars sampled from the citadel of Shayzar (Syria). The overall aims of this project are 1) to use the properties offered by high-precision accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dating for the evaluation of absolute chronology with its typical robust time constraints (i.e. 25 14C yr), and 2) to apply the dating directly to the citadel structures in order to prevent possible biasing effects potentially affecting indirect 14C dating on organic materials found at the study site. The analyses presented in this paper have been mainly performed as a preliminary check of the Cryo2SoniC methodology in order to assess its applicability to this study site by comparing observed mortar results with archaeological expectations about the citadel development phasing and charcoals found encased in mortars. Petrographic and mineralogical thin-section analyses by optical microscopy (TSOM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy plus energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) investigations were carried out for characterization of the mortar samples to verify the occurrence of some features, related to their production technology, which may introduce dating offsets. The resulting 14C calibrated ages were in agreement with the archaeological expectations based on type and stratigraphic site reconstructions, in situ inscriptions, and written sources. Such results showed also a general (with 1 exception) statistical agreement among the charcoals and the analyzed mortars simultaneously, confirming the archaeological expectations for the Shayzar citadel. Results presented in this paper indicate good accuracy for the applied procedure for chronology reconstruction and highlight the capability of Cryo2SoniC to further characterize the Shayzar site.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

¹⁴C Mortar Dating: The Case of the Medieval Shayzar Citadel, Syria

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Water is then added to the calcium oxide, either manually or gradually through rainfall and atmospheric vapor, to produce the fine white powder known as burnt or hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide). The burnt lime can then be used for a host of purposes, including architectural, dietary, sanitary, storage, and others (Abrams and Freter 1996; Barba Pingarrón 2013; Mathews 2001; Morris et al 1931; Russell and Dahlin 2007:407; Schreiner 2002, 2004; Seligson et al 2017a, 2017b, 2017c; Villaseñor Alonso 2010:47; Wernecke 2005, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prehispanic Maya Burnt Lime Industries: Previous Studies and Future Directions

Seligson

Ortiz-Ruiz²,

Pingarrón

2018

Ancient Mesoam

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Burnt lime has played a significant role in daily Maya life since at least as far back as 1100 b.c., and yet its ephemeral nature has limited archaeological studies of its production. The application of new surveying and remote sensing technologies in recent decades is now allowing for a more in-depth investigation of the burnt lime industries that existed in different subregions of the Maya area. This article provides an overview of the current understanding of pre-Hispanic Maya burnt lime production. It then presents an analysis of the factors influencing the development and identification of distinct subregional lime production industries, including: lime consumption requirements and inter-site spacing; natural environment; local social and economic trajectories; and the objectives and survey universes of archaeological investigations. In reporting the tremendous advances made over the past few decades, this paper encourages archaeologists to include a focus on identifying lime production features in their research agendas.

show abstract

“…Thus, if 14 C analysis could be applied to mortar, one would be able to estimate more precisely the time when a certain building was built or modified. This is far from reality, and even though this principle is simple enough, its application proved to be surprisingly difficult, as shown by the variability in results over more than 50 years of experimentation (Delibrias and Labeyrie 1964;Stuiver and Smith 1965;Baxter and Walton 1970;Folk and Valastro 1976;Pachiaudi et al 1986;Van Strydonck et al 1986Mathews 2001;Nawrocka et al 2005Nawrocka et al , 2009Nawrocka et al , 2010Lindroos et al 2007;Goslar et al 2009;Heinemeier et al 2010;Hajdas et al 2012;Michalska et al 2013Michalska et al , 2015Ringbom et al 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Radiocarbon Dating of Mortars with a Pozzolana Aggregate Using the Cryo2SoniC Protocol to Isolate the Binder

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

To date, finding a technique able to effectively isolate the carbon signal from the binder of a mortar is still an open challenge. In this paper, the radiocarbon (14C) dating of one of the most challenging and diffuse types of mortar, the one with pozzolana aggregate, is investigated. Eight mortar samples from three archaeological sites near Rome (Italy) underwent a selection process called Cryo2SoniC. The selected fractions were analyzed by the accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 14C technique and compared to known historical references. Additional scanning electron microscopy analysis and petrographic investigations were done, respectively, to check the grain size of the fractions selected by Cryo2SoniC, and further, to characterize the original mortar samples. The masses of carbon yielded from the dated fractions were almost half of those released from some aerial mortars. The 14C dating results were accurate for pozzolana mortars, from buried and unburied structures, with calcination relics and small contamination of secondary calcite. A limitation in the purification protocol was observed on samples with a massive contamination of secondary calcite deposition of ground water origin, occluding porosity and substituting up to the 80% of the original binder matrix.

show abstract

Radiocarbon Dating of Architectural Mortar: A Case Study in the Maya Region, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Cited by 18 publications

References 15 publications

¹⁴C Mortar Dating: The Case of the Medieval Shayzar Citadel, Syria

¹⁴C Mortar Dating: The Case of the Medieval Shayzar Citadel, Syria

Prehispanic Maya Burnt Lime Industries: Previous Studies and Future Directions

Radiocarbon Dating of Mortars with a Pozzolana Aggregate Using the Cryo2SoniC Protocol to Isolate the Binder

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Radiocarbon Dating of Architectural Mortar: A Case Study in the Maya Region, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Cited by 18 publications

References 15 publications

14C Mortar Dating: The Case of the Medieval Shayzar Citadel, Syria

14C Mortar Dating: The Case of the Medieval Shayzar Citadel, Syria

Prehispanic Maya Burnt Lime Industries: Previous Studies and Future Directions

Radiocarbon Dating of Mortars with a Pozzolana Aggregate Using the Cryo2SoniC Protocol to Isolate the Binder

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

¹⁴C Mortar Dating: The Case of the Medieval Shayzar Citadel, Syria

¹⁴C Mortar Dating: The Case of the Medieval Shayzar Citadel, Syria