Earthen architecture in Bronze Age Crete : from raw materials to construction
Earthen architecture is a widespread phenomenon, both in the present day and the past. It is one of the most impressive expressions of the human ability to create a unique built environment from modest natural resources. Archaeological research has shown that mud brick manufacturing techniques can inform on community practices in relation to architecture. New geoarchaeological and microarchaeological approaches provide information on the source of raw materials in conjunction with the mode of manufacture and construction. The aim of this study is to investigate Minoan earthen architecture using mud bricks as an integral part of material culture in order to reconstruct the technological process of mud brick manufacture and to provide fresh insights about architectural craft specialisation in Bronze Age Crete. In order to fulfil this goal, more than 10,000 mud bricks are studied both macroscopically, by investigating broad trends in manufacture and construction form, and microscopically, by considering the finer details of raw material procurement and building performance through XRF, XRD and thin section petrography. This research places the geoarchaeological analysis of mud brick architecture within a specific
Lorenzon, Marta
Earthen architecture ; geoarchaeological ; Bronze Age Crete
Earthen architecture in Bronze Age Crete : from raw materials to construction. Earthen architecture is a widespread phenomenon, both in the present day and the past. It is one of the most impressive expressions of the human ability to create a unique built environment from modest natural resources. Archaeological research has shown that mud brick manufacturing techniques can inform on community practices in relation to architecture. New geoarchaeological and microarchaeological approaches provide information on the source of raw materials in conjunction with the mode of manufacture and construction. The aim of this study is to investigate Minoan earthen architecture using mud bricks as an integral part of material culture in order to reconstruct the technological process of mud brick manufacture and to provide fresh insights about architectural craft specialisation in Bronze Age Crete. In order to fulfil this goal, more than 10,000 mud bricks are studied both macroscopically, by investigating broad trends in manufacture and construction form, and microscopically, by considering the finer details of raw material procurement and building performance through XRF, XRD and thin section petrography. This research places the geoarchaeological analysis of mud brick architecture within a specific
earthen architecture bronze_age_crete raw_material construction earthen architecture widespread phenomenon impressive expression human ability create unique build_environment modest natural_resource archaeological show brick manufacturing technique inform community_practice relation architecture new geoarchaeological approach provide_information source raw_material conjunction mode manufacture construction aim_study investigate minoan earthen architecture use brick integral_part material_culture order_reconstruct technological process brick manufacture provide_fresh insight architectural craft_specialisation bronze_age_crete order fulfil goal brick study macroscopically investigate broad trend manufacture construction form consider detail raw_material procurement building performance xrf xrd thin_section_petrography place geoarchaeological analysis brick architecture within specific