Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T19:08:35.220Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Use of Lightweight Lime Mortar in the Construction of the West Church of Umm el-Jimal, Jordan: Radiocarbon Dating and Characterization

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 July 2016

Khaled Al-Bashaireh
Khaled Al-Bashaireh*
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, Yarmouk University, postal code 211-63, Irbid, Jordan.
*
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected].
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Lightweight concrete was widely used and mainly spread during the Roman period. This technology was used in the West Church, Umm el-Jimal, Jordan. The date of construction of the West Church is debated and different dates have been suggested based on its architectural styles and comparisons with other churches. This research aims to radiocarbon date the construction of the dome (church), archaeometrically characterize the mortar, and determine the source of the scoria. Three charcoals and two broken pieces comprising scoria from the mortar of the fallen dome and six large scoria samples from Quais cone were collected. The research used different analytical methods including accelerator mass spectrometry 14C, X-ray diffraction, petrographic microscopy, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. 14C determinations dated the dome (church) to the Late Roman–Early Byzantine periods, which contradicted the archaeological data. Analytical results showed that the mortar is lime-based and hydraulic. The similarities in the mineralogical composition, macroscopic and microscopic features, and chemical composition (compared statistically) of the scoria samples and the short distance between Umm el-Jimal and the Quais volcanic cone very likely indicate that the Quais volcanic cone is the source of the scoria used in the fallen dome.

Keywords

radiocarbonlightweight concreteWest ChurchUmm el-JimalJordan
Type
Research Article
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 58 , Issue 3 , September 2016 , pp. 583 - 598
Copyright
© 2016 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Al-Bashaireh, K. 2014. Reconstructing the chronology of the house XVII–XVIII complex at Umm el-Jimal, east Jordan: radiocarbon dates of organic inclusions of architectural mortars. Radiocarbon 56(1):245–256.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Al-Malabeh, A. 1993. The volcanology, mineralogy and geochemistry of selected pyroclastic cones from NE-Jordan and their evaluation for possible industrial applications [unpublished PhD thesis]. Erlangen: Erlangen University.Google Scholar
Bender, F. 1974. Geology of Jordan. Berlin: Gebrüder Bornträger.Google Scholar
Bowman, SH. 1990. Radiocarbon Dating. Berkeley: University of California Press.Google Scholar
Bronk Ramsey, C. 2009. Bayesian analysis of radiocarbon dates. Radiocarbon 51(1):337–360.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bronk Ramsey, C, Lee, S. 2013. Recent and planned developments of the program OxCal. Radiocarbon 55(2–3):720–730.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Butler, HC. 1913. Ancient Architecture in Syria, Southern Syria: Umm Idj-Djmâl. Division II. Leiden: Brill.Google Scholar
Camuti, KS, McGuire, PT. 1999. Preparation of polished thin sections from poorly consolidated regolith and sediment materials. Sedimentary Geology 128(1):171–178.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chandra, S, Berntsson, L. 2002. Lightweight Aggregate Concrete: Science, Technology and Applications. New York: William Andrew Publishing.Google Scholar
De Vries, B. 1990. Umm el-Jimal: “Gem of the Black Desert”: A Brief Guide to the Antiquities. Amman: Al Kutba Publishers.Google Scholar
De Vries, B. 1993. The Umm el-Jimal Project, 1981–1992. Annual of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan 37:433–460.Google Scholar
De Vries, B. 1994. What’s in a name: the anonymity of ancient Umm el-Jimal. Biblical Archaeologist 57(4):215–219.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Vries, B. 1998. Umm el-Jimal: A Frontier Town and its Landscape in Northern Jordan. Volume I. Journal of Roman Archaeology, Supplementary Series no. 26.Google Scholar
Dunn, E, Rapp, GR. 2004. Characterization of mortars and pozzolanic materials from Umm al-Jimal. Studies in Conservation 49(3):145–160.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duran, A, Robador, MD, Jimenez de Haro, MC, Ramirez Valle, V. 2008. Study by thermal analysis of mortars belonging to wall paintings corresponding to some historical buildings of Sevillian art. Journal of Thermal Analyses and Calorimetry 92(1):353–359.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harries, KA. 1995. Concrete construction in Early Rome. Concrete International 17(1):58–62.Google Scholar
Hossain, KMA. 2006. Blended cement and lightweight concrete using scoria: mix design, strength, durability and heat insulation characteristics. International Journal of Physical Sciences 1(1):5–16.Google Scholar
Jull, AJT, Burr, GS, McHargue, LR, Lange, TE, Lifton, NA, Beck, JW, Donahue, DJ. 2004. New frontiers in dating of geological, paleoclimatic and anthropological applications using accelerator mass spectrometric measurements of 14C and 10Be in diverse samples. Global and Planetary Change 41(3–4):309–323.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kogel, JE, editor. 2006. Industrial Minerals and Rocks: Commodities, Markets, and Uses. Colorado: Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration.Google Scholar
Kwon, JS, Yun, ST, Lee, JH, Kim, SO, Jo, HY. 2010. Removal of divalent heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) and arsenic (III) from aqueous solutions using scoria: kinetics and equilibria of sorption. Journal of Hazardous Materials 174(1):307–313.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lancaster, L. 2011. The use of lightweight concrete in Rome, Cilicia, and Tunisia. In: Ringbom Å, Hohlfelder RL, editors. Building Roma Aeterna. Current Research on Roman Mortar and Concrete. Commentationes Humanarum Litterarum 128:60–72.Google Scholar
Lancaster, L, Sottili, G, Marra, F, Ventura, G. 2010. Provenancing of lightweight volcanic stones used in ancient Roman concrete vaulting: evidence from Turkey and Tunisia. Archaeometry 52(6):949–961.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lancaster, L, Sottili, G, Marra, F, Ventura, G. 2011. Provenancing of lightweight volcanic stones used in ancient Roman concrete vaulting: evidence from Rome. Archaeometry 53(4):707–727.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lechtman, HN, Hobbs, HW. 1987. Roman concrete and the Roman architectural revolution. In: Kingery WD, editor. Ceramics and Civilization Volume 3. Westerville, Ohio: American Ceramic Society. p 81–128.Google Scholar
Moropoulou, A, Bakolas, A, Bisbikou, K. 1995. Characterization of ancient Byzantine and later historic mortars by thermal and diffraction techniques. Termochimica Acta 269:779–795.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moropoulou, A, Bakolas, A, Bisbikou, K. 2000. Investigation of the technology of historic mortars. Journal of Cultural Heritage 1(1):45–58.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moropoulou, A, Bakolas, A, Aggelakopoulou, E. 2004. Evaluation of pozzolanic activity of natural and artificial pozzolans by thermal analysis. Termochimica Acta 420:135–140.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Piccirillo, M. 1981. Chiese e mosaici della Giordania settentrionale. Jerusalem: Franciscan Printing Press.Google Scholar
Reimer, PJ, Bard, E, Bayliss, A, Beck, JW, Blackwell, PG, Bronk Ramsey, C, Buck, CE, Cheng, H, Edwards, RL, Friedrich, M, Grootes, PM, Guilderson, TP, Haflidason, H, Hajdas, I, Hatté, C, Heaton, TJ, Hoffmann, DL, Hogg, AG, Hughen, KA, Kaiser, KF, Kromer, B, Manning, SW, Niu, M, Reimer, RW, Richards, DA, Scott, EM, Southon, JR, Staff, RA, Turney, CSM, van der Plicht, J. 2013. IntCal13 and Marine13 radiocarbon age calibration curves 0–50,000 years cal BP. Radiocarbon 55(4):1869–1887.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sebestyén, G. 1998. Construction: Craft to Industry. New York: Routledge.Google Scholar
Stefanidou, M, Papayianni, I. 2005. The role of aggregates on the structure and properties of lime mortar. Cement and Concrete Research 27:914–919.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sweet, SA, Grace-Martin, KA. 2012. Data Analysis with SPSS: A First Course in Applied Statistics. 4th edition. New York: Pearson Education.Google Scholar
Watson, P. 2001. The Byzantine period. In: MacDonald B, Adams R, Bienkowski P, editors. The Archaeology of Jordan. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press. p 546–602.Google Scholar