The deterioration process of limestone in the Anahita Temple of Kangavar (West Iran)

Vahid Barnoos,Atefeh Shekofteh,Omid Oudbashi

doi:10.1186/s40494-020-00411-1

Vahid Barnoos, Atefeh Shekofteh + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-020-00411-1

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Journal: Heritage Science	Publication Date: Jul 6, 2020
Citations: 7	License type: open-access

Affiliation: Isfahan University of Art, University of Isfahan

Abstract

The well-known archaeological site of Anahita Temple at Kangavar is one of the most important Iranian stone monuments. It has been dated by various authors in an interval extended from Achaemenid to Sasanian Persian Empires (sixth century BCE to seventh century AD). Significant weathering has been occurred in various stone blocks used in the construction of this monument. The aim of this research is to study the deterioration process of the stone blocks used in the Temple. It includes chemical and mineralogical analysis of stones, characterization of deterioration patterns and processes, and identification of factors influenced the process. Results have been obtained by on-site and laboratory studies, including optical microscopy, petrography, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy methods. They showed that low-porosity limestone and dolomitic limestone have been used in the construction of the Temple, which have a compact micritic structure with variable size calcite veins (sparite) and clay veins. According to the on-site and laboratory studies, the deterioration patterns are partially similar in majority of the stone blocks and include different types of detachments as well as biological colonisations. The multianalytical results proved that the deterioration process is mainly of physical weathering type, due to structural and chemical characteristics of the limestone as well as climate factors, temperature fluctuations in particular. It turned out that limestone characteristics (including presence of clay veins as well as heterogeneity of calcitic matrix (micrite and sparite)) can affect the behaviour of stone blocks against climate factors; helping us to find reasons behind physical weathering of limestone in the cultural/historical sites and monuments.

Highlights

Very small tools have been applied on stones of various types and other inorganic natural materials for millennia to make various objects and monuments of significant dimensions and with various functions [1, 2]
Evidence of some small-size quartz (SiO2) crystals is observed within stone texture, to be confirmed with the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis reported in the following pages
The previously petrographic study on the stone quarries used in construction of the Anahita Temple, as well as on stones used in this monument is well matched with the petrographic observations in present study [42]

Summary

Introduction

Very small tools have been applied on stones of various types and other inorganic natural materials for millennia to make various objects and monuments of significant dimensions and with various functions (often combined from decorative elements and artefacts) [1, 2]. This widespread using is due to different reasons, the most important of which being their availability and simple access as well as simple workability. The remnants of a row of large and thick stone columns are located over the northwest side of the western wall of the Temple in their original position, including three restored ones (Fig. 1d) [28, 29]

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