January 2024: Project “Mortar analysis”

The project, entitled ‘Mortar analyses of archaeological monuments in the Mediterranean climate regions’, began in early 2024. It is a Croatian-Austrian collaboration between the Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, and the University of Vienna. The project is financed by the Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and Youth and ÖAD, Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalisation.

The archaeological monuments contain valuable historical information, but present challenges in terms of accurate dating. A two-year project will combine archaeological and mortar radiocarbon analysis to address this challenge. The project will concentrate on two principal areas. Initially, we intend to define the composition of the mortar and identify any variations. Subsequently, we will evaluate the extent of mortar deterioration in relation to sea salt content and carbonate recrystallization. In a final step, the results will be compared with conclusions drawn from the archaeological analysis.

15. January 2024