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400825

Analysis of mortars applied to the remains surrounding the Monastery of Apa Shenoute, Sohag, Egypt

Article

Last updated: 04 Jan 2025

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Abstract

This paper aims to characterize the different types of mortars used in a specific area most at risk of extinction at Apa Shenoute Monastery, including flooring, bedding, cladding and jointing mortars, in order to document their compositions and technologies. Due to the continuous exposure to erosion that has resulted in their deterioration over time, such a survey enables a proper understanding of their state of preservation, their composition as well as assists in the proper planning of future restoration work. To achieve this goal, representative samples of different types of applied mortars were subjected to in situ visual inspection, polarizing light microscope, X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, grain size distribution analysis, and scanning electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive X-ray unit. Obtained results characterize optical, mineralogical, and technical properties of selected mortar samples. The results revealed the use of calcitic lime as a binder in all types of mortars with various Binder/Aggregate ratio, ranging from 1:1 to 2.3:1 with the exception of almost free aggregate mortars used in connecting mortars of clay pipes. Moreover, flooring and plastering mortars are composed of multiple layers. In the case of flooring mortars, it has been observed that fragments of limestone (0.5 to 3.5 mm) are added to the lower layer and fragments of brick dust are added to the upper layer as an artificial pozzolanic material.  Different colours of the cladding and the jointing mortar of the kiln, varying between orange, grey-olive and black were attributed to the exposed firing temperature. The information gathered should be useful for specific selection criteria for compatible restoration materials and techniques.

DOI

10.21608/arcs.2024.338268.1055

Keywords

Mineralogical characterization, Historic mortar, Apa Shenoute Monastery, Sohag, Restoration

Authors

First Name

Amr

Last Name

Osman

MiddleName

Mohamed Abdelsattar

Affiliation

Conservation Department, Faculty of Archaeology, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt

Email

amr.osman@arch.sohag.edu.eg

City

-

Orcid

0000-0001-8490-8427

First Name

Wojciech

Last Name

Bartz

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

University of Wroclaw, Faculty of Earth Sciences and Environmental Management, Institute of Geological Sciences, Pl. Maksa Borna 9, 50-204 Wrocław, Poland.

Email

wojciech.bartz@uwr.edu.pl

City

Wroclaw

Orcid

0000-0002-7267-2776

Volume

5

Article Issue

2

Related Issue

52523

Issue Date

2024-12-01

Receive Date

2024-11-21

Publish Date

2024-12-01

Page Start

70

Page End

89

Print ISSN

2682-3454

Online ISSN

2682-3462

Link

https://arcs.journals.ekb.eg/article_400825.html

Detail API

https://arcs.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=400825

Order

5

Type

Original Article

Type Code

1,070

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

Advanced Research in Conservation Science

Publication Link

https://arcs.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

Analysis of mortars applied to the remains surrounding the Monastery of Apa Shenoute, Sohag, Egypt

Details

Type

Article

Created At

30 Dec 2024