Historical lime‐based flooring mortars from the Church of Santa Maria de Alcobaça monastery (12th century), Portugal: A multi‐analytical approach

A multi-analytical study of historical lime-based mortars from the 12th-century Church of Santa Maria de Alcobaça reveals consistent mineralogical characteristics and aggregate properties across samples, despite compositional variations. These findings suggest a shared historical origin linked to local geology, providing insights into the construction practices and materials used in this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The research employed advanced techniques such as X-ray fluorescence, diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, optical microscopy, and colorimetry to analyze 21 mortar samples preserved on ceramic tiles removed during rehabilitation.

Carvalho, F., Nunes, A., Pagará, A., Costeira, I., da Silva, T. P., Lima, M. M. R. A., & Veiga, J. P. (2024). Historical lime‐based flooring mortars from the Church of Santa Maria de Alcobaça monastery (12th century), Portugal: A multi‐analytical approach. Archaeometry, 66(6), 1177–1190. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.12971