Analyses of Mortars from St. George’s Cathedral, Great Novgorod

A comparative analysis of mortars from St. George’s Cathedral, part of the UNESCO-listed Yuriev Monastery in Veliky Novgorod, reveals distinct differences between pre-Mongolian and later construction periods, as well as variations among structural elements like walls, foundations, floors, and plaster. The study identified crushed bricks (tsemyanka) as a key component in medieval mortars, even in post-Mongolian layers, while also distinguishing two types of sand used historically. Microscopy techniques uncovered these differences, providing insights into construction practices over centuries. Additionally, an unknown structure within the monastery was preliminarily dated to the late 12th or 14th century based on mortar composition.

Ianovskaia, E. G., Vozniak, A. A., Nosova, A. A., Sazonova, L. V., Lebedeva, N. M., & Erofeeva, K. G. (2025). Analyses of Mortars from St. George’s Cathedral, Great Novgorod. Archeometriai Műhely, 22(1), 39–54. https://doi.org/10.55023/issn.1786-271x.2025-004