Characterization of mudejar mortars from St. Gil Abbot church (Zaragoza, Spain): Investigation of the manufacturing technology of ancient gypsum mortars

Research on Mudejar mortars from St. Gil Abbot church (Zaragoza, Spain) reveals that these ancient gypsum-based materials exhibit a unique homogeneity in composition, with both binder and aggregates predominantly made of gypsum and carbonate rock fragments. The study, employing multi-analytical techniques including petrographic analysis, chemistry, and mineralogy, demonstrates that the aggregates are by-products of a grinding process applied to pre-burnt raw materials. This manufacturing technique significantly enhanced the mortars' quality, offering insights into advanced ancient construction practices. Published in Materiales de Construcción, this work underscores the sophistication of Mudejar architecture's technological innovations.

Igea, J., Lapuente, P., Martínez-Ramírez, S., & Blanco-Varela, M. T. (2012). Characterization of mudejar mortars from St. Gil Abbot church (Zaragoza, Spain): Investigation of the manufacturing technology of ancient gypsum mortars. Materiales de Construcción, 62(308), 515–529. https://doi.org/10.3989/mc.2012.07311