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New Insights of Historical Mortars Beyond Pompei: The Example of Villa del Pezzolo, Sorrento Peninsula
- Source :
- Minerals, Volume 9, Issue 10, Minerals, Vol 9, Iss 10, p 575 (2019)
- Publication Year :
- 2019
-
Abstract
- The topic of this study is the archaeometric characterization of mortars from Villa del Pezzolo, a Roman Villa located in Seiano (Napoli-Campania, Italy), dated between the 1st century B.C. and the 3rd century A.D. Mortars were analyzed by means of a multi-analytical approach (polarized optical microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersed spectrometry, thermal analyses and mercury intrusion porosimetry) according to existing recommendations. Analytical results evidenced the use of local geomaterials composed of sedimentary and volcanic aggregates in the mix design and confirmed the three distinct building phases identified by archaeologists. Volcanic tuff fragments, identified in the 1st building phase can be ascribed to Campanian Ignimbrite formation, widely cropping out in the Sorrento Peninsula, as confirmed by the presence of glassy shards, partially devitrified and replaced by authigenic feldspar, a typical feature of welded grey ignimbrite lithofacies (WGI). Volcanic aggregates in samples of the 2nd and 3rd building phases show, instead, the presence of leucite-bearing volcanic scoriae and garnet crystal fragments related to Somma-Vesuvius products. Study of these mortars allowed us to: (1) understand the production technologies<br />(2) highlight use of materials with hydraulic behavior, such as volcanic and fictile fragments<br />(3) confirm the three building phases from compositional features of mortars and (4) highlight the change over time of the volcanic aggregate for mortars mix-design.
- Subjects :
- 010506 paleontology
lcsh:QE351-399.2
Geochemistry
010502 geochemistry & geophysics
Feldspar
01 natural sciences
Archaeological science
Peninsula
Villa del Pezzolo
0105 earth and related environmental sciences
sorrento peninsula
geography
geography.geographical_feature_category
lcsh:Mineralogy
Feature (archaeology)
Geology
Authigenic
ancient mortars
Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology
ancient mortar
Volcano
constructive phases
visual_art
constructive phase
raw materials
visual_art.visual_art_medium
multi-analytical characterization
Sedimentary rock
archaeometry
Mortar
production technology
hydraulicity index
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Minerals, Volume 9, Issue 10, Minerals, Vol 9, Iss 10, p 575 (2019)
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....a91122cb6977bee8a35c11c7a127b44a