LAYER BY LAYER: A MORTAR WITH CHARCOAL FROM THE COSTEȘTI-BLIDARU CISTERN

Ştefan  VASILACHE

doi:10.24193/subbhist.2022.2.04

Authors

Ştefan VASILACHE Junior researcher, Department of Ancient History and Archaeology, Faculty of Histyory and Philosophy, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Email: stefan.vasilache@ubbcluj.ro.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24193/subbhist.2022.2.04

Keywords:

mortar, charcoal, undercoat, cistern, Vitruvius

Abstract

The aim of this article is to present the characteristics of a mortar layer from the floor of the cistern discovered by C. Daicoviciu and his team underneath Costeşti-Blidaru fortress. This investigation is based on the published information, on data from the excavation records and on the results of a recent mineralogic analysis of a sample from the layer in question. I compared the layer and the cistern with water related features and structures from the Mediterranean area, in an effort to identify the origins of the techniques that were used during the cistern's construction. Additionally, the recourse to ancient literary sources allowed me to discuss the practices used by hydraulic engineers in classical times, in order to assess the validity of C. Daicoviciu’s appreciation, according to which the cistern was built by following Vitruvian recipes. The final part of the paper contains some observations regarding the chronology of the cistern, based on the techniques that were used and on the chronology of the fortress and its related structures.

Rezumat: Scopul acestui articol este prezentarea caracteristicilor unui strat de mortar din podeaua cisternei de sub cetatea de la Costeşti-Blidaru, descoperită de C. Daicoviciu şi de echipa sa. Această investigație se bazează pe informațiile publicate, pe datele extrase din rapoartele de săpătură şi pe rezultatele unei analize mineralogice recente a unei probe prelevate din stratul respectiv. Am comparat stratul şi cisterna cu alte elemente şi structuri legate de apă din zona mediteraneeană, pentru a încerca să identific originile tehnicilor folosite la construcția cisternei. Pe lângă aceasta, recursul la sursele literare antice mi-a permis să discut despre practicile hidraulicienilor din perioada clasică, pentru a determina validitatea părerii lui C. Daicoviciu, conform căreia cisterna a fost construită prin respectarea rețetelor vitruviene. Ultima parte a articolului conține observații privind cronologia cisternei, pornind de la tehnicile folosite şi de la cronologia cetății şi a structurilor asociate.

Cuvinte-cheie: mortar, cărbune, substrat, cisternă, Vitruvius

Article: archeology; Received: 27.02.2023; Revised: 06.03.2023

Accepted: 18.03.2023; Available online: 28.04.2023.

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