Cercetarea mortarelor descoperite în situl medieval de la Orheiul Vechi prin metode nedestructive
The research of the mortars discovered in the medieval site at Old Orhei by non-destructive methods

Summary/Abstract: Building materials, especially mortars, represent an important category of archaeological evidence, which reveal, depending on their quality and variety, the living standard and the level of civilization reached by human communities in a certain area. Moreover, the authenticity of such evidence is confirmed only when itis researched methodically, individually and scientifically. To this end, scientific methods with high analytical precision can be used, from imaging to physical, chemical and biological analyses, which provide the best means to understand the chronology, provenance/sources of raw materials, manufacture and the usage of the artifacts one studies, as well the processed materials origins. The archaeological research carried out in the medieval site of Old Orhei led to the discovery of different categories of construction materials used in the building of civil and military constructions. The paper presents the results obtained from the analyzes carried out for 24 mortar samples, taken from different sectors of the archaeological site of Old Orhei, particularly from the walls of the medieval fortifications. For the assessment of these mortars, non-destructive analytical methods (X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, OM/SEM microscopy) and petrographic analysis were used, in order to identify the various components present, based on the optical and morphological properties of the mortars. Thus, it was possible to establish the distinct characteristics and state of preservation of the mortars, which were grouped into mortars from the 14th century and from the 15th century.

• Details
• Contents