Understanding and Assessment of Ancient Chinese Pig Blood–Lime Mortar

Abstract

Pig blood-lime mortar is one of the most representative formulations among the ancient Chinese organic-inorganic mortars. It was used primarily as binding material, lacquer and the ground layer of decorative oil paintings due to its good mechanical and waterproof preformance. Mortar in this work was fabricated according to the formulas of the ancient literature, and the mechanism of interaction between the key components of ancient mortar binding materials was analyzed via X-ray diffractometry. Results show that pig blood accelerates the formation of microstructure at early stage. A mechanism was suggested that biomineralization occurs during the carbonation of calcium hydroxide, where the pig blood functions as a template and controls the growth of calcium carbonate crystal.

Mortars, plasters and pigments—research questions and sampling criteria

“…-Wood, straw and charcoal in Roman mortars and plasters from Petra in Jordan (Al-Bashaireh and Hodgins 2011); -A saccharide material-based additive of plant origin and a natural gum in the mortars of the medieval shipyard of Amalfi Arsenale (Rampazzi et al 2016); -Egg white and urea in the mortars from the Yoros Castle (13 th -14 th AD) at Anadolukavağı (Kurugöl and Güleç 2012); -Fibers in 13 th -18 th AD mortars from Erzurum in Turkey (Binici et al 2010); -Proteins and/or animal blood in post-medieval earthen mortars from Cremona in Italy (Cantù et al 2016); -Egg yolk, oil and some resin in mortars repairs from the St. Engracia Basilica at Zaragoza in Spain (Luxán et al 1995); -Sticky rice, egg white and tung oil, brown sugar, pig blood and tung oil in several Chinese mortars, variously dated from 563 to 1381 AD (Yang et al 2009;Yang et al 2010;Zhang et al 2014;Zhao et al 2014aZhao et al , b, 2015.…”

Study on Carbonation of Porcine Blood Hydrogel in the Composite Mortar of Ancient Chinese Architectural Painting

“…The earliest organic–inorganic composite building mortar was discovered in China and dates to 2300 BCE [ 9 ]. It has been shown that ancient traditional lime-based binders contained organic additives such as glutinous rice [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ], tung oil [ 7 , 14 , 15 ], blood [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ], egg white [ 20 , 21 ], sugar [ 20 ], gelatin [ 6 , 9 ], and peach gum [ 2 ]. Similarly, these lime-based mortars also emerged in other countries around the world.…”

“…In Myanmar, glutinous rice and proteins were added to building mortars to meet higher living requirements [ 6 ]. From reports in the literature such as glutinous rice–lime mortar [ 11 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ], tung oil–lime mortar [ 27 , 28 , 29 ], blood–lime mortar [ 17 , 18 , 19 ], egg white–lime mortar [ 20 , 21 , 28 ], and sugar–lime mortar [ 20 , 28 ], the same conclusion that organic–inorganic composite mortars have strong adhesion properties could be drawn. In these natural organic matters, blood–lime mortar has received special attention.…”

Influence of polar amino acids on the carbonation of lime mortars

“…For instance, pig blood, lime and Liaojiang stone powder a pozzolanic material commonly found in northwestern China were said to be used in the foundation of Xianyang Palace (~ 350 B.C.) in Xi'an, China [1]; the use of bullock's blood, lime and oil/iron dross as remedy mortars to be laid on cracks of baths was accounted in Opus Agriculturae (fourth-fifth century A.D.) [2]; egg white and cheese, when mixed together with other additives in lime, can be used as plaster, as described in Corning's version of Mappae Clavicular (twelfth century A.D.) [3]; the monk Theophilus Presbyter, writing in his handbook (~ 1100-1120 A.D.) that, the mixture of small pieces of cheese, quicklime and water can be used as glue for wood panels in church buildings [4]; milk and oil mixed with lime and sand, can consist a mortar for a sun-dial-plane, as mentioned by Richard Neve in his The City and Country Purchaser's and Builder's Dictionary (1726 A.D.) [5]; animal glue, linseed oil, and rosin bulked with a calcium filler was used most extensively from the fourth quarter of the eighteenth century to the present to create sculptural relief in architectural interiors and on picture frames [6].…”