Provenance study of raw materials used for lime making at Prague Castle during medieval times

Author(s): Petr Kozlovcev, Jan Válek, Olga Skružná
Paper category: Proceedings
Book title: Proceedings of the 5th Historic Mortars Conference
Editor(s): José Ignacio Álvarez, José María Fernández, Íńigo Navarro, Adrián Durán, Rafael Sirera
ISBN: 978-2-35158-221-3
e-ISBN: 978-2-35158-222-0
Publisher: RILEM Publications SARL
Publication year: 2019
Pages: 424-438
Total Pages: 15
Language : English

Abstract: A number of historic mortars sampled from archaeological finds at Prague Castle area were
compared in order to study the provenance of raw materials used for lime production in the
Middle Ages. These mortar samples contained a considerable amount of lime particles that
could have been related to the original raw material. It was possible to identify some of
these particles as relicts of several limestone members from the Prague surroundings.
Historic mortar samples were processed by several analytical techniques. Polarized light
microscopy (PLM) and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometer
(SEM-EDS) were used to determine petrographic characteristic and mineralogical
composition of the present particles. It was possible to analyse these particles in more detail
by SEM-EDS and to semi-quantitatively characterise their chemical composition. Based on
these results, it was possible to compare collected limestone samples from historic localities
and currently active quarries near Prague.
The fragments of limestone material in the studied historic mortars originated mostly from
the Prague Basin, Palaeozoic geological unit located close Prague agglomeration. This
sedimentary basin composed various types of limestone, most of them of an industrial and
constructional importance. The most represented limestone particles were possible to
classify as Přídolí, Radotín, Slivenec, Dvorce-Prokop and Zlíchov limestone. Moreover, the
degree of hydraulic properties of historic binders was comparable with the selected
limestone members from the Prague Basin (e.g. Dvorce-Prokop or Zlíchov limestone).

Online publication : 2019
Publication type : full_text
Public price (Euros) : 0.00