Petrographical study of Meroitic mortars from an Amun temple (el-Hassa)

Title: Petrographical study of Meroitic mortars from an Amun temple (el-Hassa)
Author(s): M. Bouchar
Paper category : conference
Book title: 2nd Conference on Historic Mortars - HMC 2010 and RILEM TC 203-RHM final workshop
Editor(s): J. Válek, C. Groot and J.J. Hughes
Print-ISBN: None
e-ISBN: 978-2-35158-112-4
Publisher: RILEM Publications SARL
Publication year: 2010
Pages: 55 - 63
Total Pages: 9
Nb references: 12
Language: English

Abstract: Mortar samples from various archaeological Meroitic sites located along the Nile (currently Sudan), and dating from the first century AD, have been previously analyzed with X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence and mercury intrusion porosimetry. This work aims to show that the petrographical study of the samples complements these analyses. The petrographical study, carried out for the first time on two facing mortar samples from the Amun temple of el-Hassa enables the structure, the porosity and the mineralogical nature of paste and sand to be characterized separately. The application of a new interpretation methodology based on the crossing of the data obtained by all analytical techniques indicates that the paste was probably made of a mixture of both lime and a material comprising gypsum and limestone grains.

Online publication: 2010-10-25
Publication type : full_text
Public price (Euros): 0.00