Surface and bulk properties of ancient Egyptian mortars, Part v: Thermal studies (b)

✍ Scribed by Jehane Ragai

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1989
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 232 KB
• Volume: 19
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0008-8846
• DOI: 10.1016/0008-8846(89)90063-x

✦ Synopsis

The thermal properties of Ancient Egyptian mortars extracted from the Great Giza Pyramid, the second Giza Pyramid and the Sphinx temple were studied by simultaneous thermogravime=ry, differential thermal analysis and differential thermogravimetry. Gypsiferous mortars containing calcite exhibit a number of endotherms in the ranges 20°-120°C, 120°C-190°C, 390°C-580°C and 585°C-890°C.

The striking feature displayed by some of these mortars is the appearance of very sharp weight losses O around 350°C and 400 C attributable to the formatlon of various soluble anhydrites.

Such losses are in keeping with the unusual ageing effects detected previously (i) on these mortars by X-Ray Diffraction.