PhD Sciences - ITN “Roman concrete throughout the empire"

Roman architecture and construction are widely renowned because of the remarkable survival. Much of Roman architectural achievements can be attributed to mortars, concrete and plasters as they play an important role for the building and construction process. In archaeology, studies on mortars, concrete and plasters from Roman times have largely focused on either defining the nature of the mortars or determining the most suitable conservation practice for these composite materials. Thus, there has been a lack of detailed information on the process of mortar manufacture starting from raw materials to finished products through a comprehensive scientific approach. This PhD will explore the material properties of mortars, concrete an plasters from the archaeological site of Sagalassos by employing a range of analytical techniques (e.g. macroscopic recording, thin section analysis etc.) to provide an in-depth technological characterization. The research will examine material used for a number of purposes (e.g. walls, floors etc.) from a variety of settings (e.g. public/private and water/non-water related), dating back to the Roman Empire period (end of 1st century BC-5th century AD) because of mortar-making practice reached the peak during this time. Finally, the Sagalassos perspective will be compared to and integrated with other selected sites across the Roman Empire to give a broader understanding of this practice.