Lime Mortar and Plaster from the House XVII-XVIII, Umm El-Jimal, Jordan: Archaeometric Analysis

Ancient craftsmen at Umm el-Jimal, Jordan, employed a sophisticated technique for creating lime-based mortar and plaster with hydraulic properties by incorporating natural scoria and recycled pottery fragments. Archaeometric analysis of samples from House XVII-XVIII revealed that the addition of charcoal in some cases produced grey-colored materials, while others retained their characteristic white-beige hue due to straws, bones, and higher amounts of scoria and ceramic. The study suggests that the grain size distribution and binder-aggregate ratios remained consistent across these variations, indicating a deliberate approach to material composition. This research sheds light on advanced construction practices in Byzantine-era Jordan, demonstrating the ingenuity of ancient builders in producing lightweight, porous cement materials.

AL-BASHAIREH, K. (2019). LIME MORTAR AND PLASTER FROM THE HOUSE XVII-XVIII, UMM EL-JIMAL, JORDAN: ARCHAEOMETRIC ANALYSIS. Shedet, Annual Peer-Reviewed Journal Issued by the Faculty of Archaeology, Fayoum University, (6), 212–224. https://doi.org/10.36816/shedet.006.12