Analysis of Mortar and Cement
We have now retrieved sufficient mortar and hull cement from different parts of the world to start a detailed analysis – for example, comparison of the Tang dynasty mortar in the Lyttleton Fortified Site (New Zealand, South Island) with mortar from a Tang dynasty section of the Great Wall of China. Another example is the Treasure Ship hull cement found embedded in the Moeraki cliffs (New Zealand, South Island) and found at Bimini and in the Miami Ship channel.
Analysis of Mortar
Dr Bob Thomas, PhD of Technology Experts Network, Rome, NY is kindly advising on appropriate analytical techniques, which are:
(i) C14 dating
Disadvantage – clamshells could have widely varying dates
Disadvantage – clamshells could have widely varying dates
(ii) UV Fluorescence Microscopy
Will identify organic material viz rice
Will identify organic material viz rice
(iii) Scanning X-Ray Tomography
Can identify percentage of each constituent. Very expensive.
Can identify percentage of each constituent. Very expensive.
(iv) Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDAX)
Elemental analysis; inexpensive; can be used as comparative tool comparing Chinese and N. American mortar.
Elemental analysis; inexpensive; can be used as comparative tool comparing Chinese and N. American mortar.
(v) Light Microscopy on Polished Surfaces
Will differentiate between materials with varied crystal structure.
Will differentiate between materials with varied crystal structure.
It seems to us there are several immediate areas of interest.
1. Inca Civil Engineering
(a) Mortar of Great Wall of Peru compared with Great Wall of China of same date
(b) Cement from Inca Roads
(c) Mortar from Houses – Ancash Province
(b) Cement from Inca Roads
(c) Mortar from Houses – Ancash Province
These examples to be compared with similar ones in China and Peru. Were the first Inca Emperors Chinese? Was the Ancash Province of Peru the source of many New Zealand plants and vegetables?
2. Chinese Settlement in North and South Carolina
Dating of mortar from stone houses and dams compared with Chinese and New Zealand mortars of the same date.
3. Trans Pacific Trade
Dating and analysis of mortar from raised platforms on islands across the Pacific to establish:
(a) Whether the platforms were built with ‘Chinese’ mortar
(b) (From dating) Whether building stopped at the same time – viz as a result of the Tsunami occasioned by comet’s impact at 48 degrees south, 166 degrees east
4. Settlements in the Caribbean
Are the mortars and hull cements from Miami ship channel; Palm Beach ‘road’; Bimini ‘road’; Andros platform; Andros circular fish pen and Anguilla road the same – and the same as in New Zealand?
5. Further ideas would be welcome
| Site | Substance | Contact | Remarks | |
| 1 | New Zealand South Island (Tang Dynasty) |
Mortar (dark colour) | Dave Bell(Rafter Radiocarbon Lab) | Lyttleton Fortified SiteDated 782-900AD 769-983AD1+2 Sigma respectively |
| 2 | New Zealand South Island (Qing Dynasty) |
Mortar (light colour) | Dave Bell (Rafter Radiocarbon Lab) | Lyttleton Fortified Site 1676-1764 (1.5) 1665-1945(25) |
| 3 | New Zealand South Island |
Mortar | Dave Bell | Catlins |
| 4 | Vietnam Great Wall of Vietnam (Ming Dynasty) |
Mortar | Ms Fran | |
| 5 | Peru Great Wall of Chimu |
Mortar | Patricia Soledad Llosa | Mortar requested from Sechin |
| 6 | Fiji Platforms |
Mortar | Marshall Payn | |
| 7 | Mue Raised Platforms |
Mortar | Nelson Mitchell | Contact Taumafai Fuhiho |
| 8 | Easter Island Raised Platforms |
Mortar | Kerson Huang | |
| 9 | Rhode Island (USA) Newport Tower | Mortar | Bob Thomas PhD | Dr Thomas kindly assisting – analysis by Brown University |
| 10 | Great Wall of China (Tang Dynasty) | Mortar | Professor Yingsheng Liu | |
| 11 | Great Wall of China (Song) | Mortar | Professor Yingsheng Liu | |
| 12 | Great Wall of China (early Ming Dynasty) | Mortar | Professor Yingsheng Liu | |
| 13 | Peru | Cement | Patricia Soledad Llosa | From an Inca Road and Building |
| 14 | West Virginia Dams | Mortar | Jerry Warsing | |
| 15 | Virginia Stone Houses | Mortar | Jerry Warsing | |
| 16 | Andros Island (Caribbean) Circular Walls | Mortar | Charles Huegy | |
| 17 | Hawaii Fishponds Raised Platforms |
Mortar | Paul Harding | |
| 18 | Samoa (Opulu) Raised Platforms |
Mortar | Jenny Gore | Mortar requested from platform at S. side of Island |
| 19 | Western Samoa Raised Platform |
Mortar | Nelson Mitchell | |
| 20 | St Paul Island (Indian Ocean) French Antarctic Territory | Mortar | Paul Lewis | Mortar requested from Barracks Block |
| 21 | China Tower of Chou Kung |
Mortar | Through Professor Yao Jide | Ming Renovation of 1276 Tower |
| 22 | Java Candi Sukuh | Mortar | Chris Carlisle | Mortar from Pyramid (1416-1459) Requested |
| 23 | Anguilla (Bahamas) Cay Sal Group | Hull Cement | Bruce | |
| 24 | New Zealand | Hull Cement | Dave Bell (Moeraki) | From Treasure Ship embedded in cliff cement shows shape of hull.Cement analysed |
| 25 | Miami, Florida | Hull Cement | Charles Huegy | Miami ship channel cement showing shape of bows with bored holes (as in NZ) |
| 26 | Bimini | Hull Cement and Chocks | Bill and Nowdla Keefe or Trimmer Dettor | |
| 27 | Florida, Palm Beach | Hull Cement | William Feickert | |
| 28 | Andros Island (Bahamas) | Hull Cement/ Mortar | Dr Greg and Dr Lora Little “Ancient Mysteries” | 3 Tier Pyramid under 10 feet of water |
| 29 | Rock Lake | Mortar | Underwater Pyramid |
