Fresco Mixtures with Dried Lime Plaster: Cameron’s Experiments Revisited

During the Bronze Age, craftspeople of the eastern Mediterranean reused fragments of mortars as aggregates in lime mixtures. In the 1970s, Mark Cameron experimented with the techniques of Minoan fresco preparing and painting. His experiments showed that it is possible to create mortar by mixing lime...

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Main Author: Αntonis Vlavogilakis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: EXARC 2021-05-01
Series:EXARC Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://exarc.net/ark:/88735/10581
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author Αntonis Vlavogilakis
author_facet Αntonis Vlavogilakis
author_sort Αntonis Vlavogilakis
collection DOAJ
description During the Bronze Age, craftspeople of the eastern Mediterranean reused fragments of mortars as aggregates in lime mixtures. In the 1970s, Mark Cameron experimented with the techniques of Minoan fresco preparing and painting. His experiments showed that it is possible to create mortar by mixing lime plaster with dried powdered lime plaster, and by mixing dried powdered lime plaster with water. These mixtures became the basis for the experiments presented in this paper. Fragments of mortar can be used as aggregates in a lime mortar, but only as a small part of the aggregates of a mixture. Mixing dried powdered lime or crushed thin shards of mortars with water produces granular pastes, which can be spread and painted. This technique can be used to recycle mixtures in order to practice spreading mortar, but not to create works that will stand the test of time. Dried lime plaster can be used as an aggregate in mixtures, including those used in fresco. The material behaves better when it is used in a powdered form. Analyses of the mortars of ancient frescoes must be exhaustive and take into account the fact that ancient craftspeople might have used unusual techniques.
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spelling doaj.art-c2283290ff3b40fba4a6b731827c301a2024-02-26T15:06:28ZengEXARCEXARC Journal2212-89562021-05-012021/2ark:/88735/10581Fresco Mixtures with Dried Lime Plaster: Cameron’s Experiments RevisitedΑntonis VlavogilakisDuring the Bronze Age, craftspeople of the eastern Mediterranean reused fragments of mortars as aggregates in lime mixtures. In the 1970s, Mark Cameron experimented with the techniques of Minoan fresco preparing and painting. His experiments showed that it is possible to create mortar by mixing lime plaster with dried powdered lime plaster, and by mixing dried powdered lime plaster with water. These mixtures became the basis for the experiments presented in this paper. Fragments of mortar can be used as aggregates in a lime mortar, but only as a small part of the aggregates of a mixture. Mixing dried powdered lime or crushed thin shards of mortars with water produces granular pastes, which can be spread and painted. This technique can be used to recycle mixtures in order to practice spreading mortar, but not to create works that will stand the test of time. Dried lime plaster can be used as an aggregate in mixtures, including those used in fresco. The material behaves better when it is used in a powdered form. Analyses of the mortars of ancient frescoes must be exhaustive and take into account the fact that ancient craftspeople might have used unusual techniques.https://exarc.net/ark:/88735/10581paintinglimestonebronze agecyprusgreeceturkey
spellingShingle Αntonis Vlavogilakis
Fresco Mixtures with Dried Lime Plaster: Cameron’s Experiments Revisited
EXARC Journal
painting
limestone
bronze age
cyprus
greece
turkey
title Fresco Mixtures with Dried Lime Plaster: Cameron’s Experiments Revisited
title_full Fresco Mixtures with Dried Lime Plaster: Cameron’s Experiments Revisited
title_fullStr Fresco Mixtures with Dried Lime Plaster: Cameron’s Experiments Revisited
title_full_unstemmed Fresco Mixtures with Dried Lime Plaster: Cameron’s Experiments Revisited
title_short Fresco Mixtures with Dried Lime Plaster: Cameron’s Experiments Revisited
title_sort fresco mixtures with dried lime plaster cameron s experiments revisited
topic painting
limestone
bronze age
cyprus
greece
turkey
url https://exarc.net/ark:/88735/10581
work_keys_str_mv AT antonisvlavogilakis frescomixtureswithdriedlimeplastercameronsexperimentsrevisited