The Earliest Use of Lime and Gypsum Mortars in Cyprus

Abstract

The microstructural investigation of prehistoric mortars selected from various archaeological sites of Cyprus demonstrated that the discovery of lime and gypsum technology had occurred on the island during the Neolithic period. This technology was already known in the Near East since earlier periods (Epi-Paleolithic period). Lime mortars were widely disseminated during the Chalcolithic period, whereas the use of gypsum mortars was rather limited on the island during all of the prehistoric periods. The discovery of crushed-brick lime mortars during the Late Bronze Age constitutes an innovation and can be associated with the overall prosperity of the era. The use of these mortars seems to have occurred simultaneously with the Mycenaean world. The selection of the raw materials for the preparation of mortars was based on the geology of each area. The absence of volcanic rocks in Cyprus led to the use of bricks as additives in the preparation of hydraulic mortars.