Przegląd Archeologiczny T. 54 (2006)

ill. ; 29 cm

The paper aims to present the results of petrographic and chemical analysis of mortars revealed during the archaeological investigation at the Wleń Castle. The castle was erected and then developed from the early Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Some restoration works were carried out at the castle ruins as well at the end of the 19th century. The objectiveof the analysis was to establish the chronological differences between individual parts of the castle and to reconstruct approximate mortar formulas necessary in restoration. Microscopic methods, granulometric analysis and chemical analysis were used in the investigation. The achieved results allowed to correlate 55 from 80 taken mortar samples, which were ascribed to six groups diversified with respect to the petrographic composition of the aggregate. Moreover six sub-groups were distinguished on the basis of the differences in the carbonate binder content, colour, texture and mechanical properties. The mortars at the Wleń Castle are mostly lime and sometimes clay-sand-lime materials. The reconstructed formulas showed particular dissimilarity of the mortars taken from the walls of a Romanesque church displaying a higher amount of used lime

il. ; 29 cm