ROMAN BRICKS IN NORTHERN ITALY:

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES OVER TIME

Pérez-Monserrat E.M1., Causarano M.A.2, Maritan L.1, Chavarria A.2, Brogiolo G.P.2, Cultrone G.3
1
Department of Geosciences, University of Padua, Italy
ISA 2020/2022 2
Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Padua, Italy
rd
43 International Symposium on Archaeometry 3
Lisbon, 16th – 20th May 2022
Department of Mineralogy and Petrology, University of Granada, Spain
REFERENCE POSTER: S5-P27.710

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

The production technologies of historic bricks (from Roman to Medieval times) used on the city of Padua (Northern Italy) ROMAN TIMES (RT) LATE ANTIQUITY (LA)
th
were addressed through a multi-analytical approach, based on Spectrophotometry, X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), Powder X- Necropolis (1-4 ) th
Early-Christian basilica (5-6 ), Outer apse of sacello
Ray Diffraction (XRPD), Polarized Optical Microscopy (POM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM-EDS). The Early- GoogleTM 29 °C, 71% RH
Padua 24 °C, 66% RH (high humidity areas with rather constant climatic conditions)
Christian (5-6th centuries) and Romanesque (12-13th centuries) areas of the Basilica of Saint Justine of Padua (5/6-16th (high humidity areas)
centuries), and the remains of the Roman necropolis (1-3/4th centuries) preserved under the basilica, were selected.

About of Padua's environs, the fired brick in the city and the Basilica of Saint Justine
Necropolis (1-4th)
The city of Padua has a warm and tempered climate, there is rather high relative humidity (average annual RH ≈74%) and 29 °C, 71% R
significant rainfall (average annual ≈1000 mm). Due to its location in the eastern Po River plain, characterized by the
abundance of clayey materials (mostly Quaternary alluvial deposits), and the lack of rock outcrops (except those of the
nearby volcanic Euganean Hills), fired bricks have been extensively used as building material along the history of the city. 1 cm
The Municipium of Patavium was a strategic trade area in Roman times and the large demand of fired bricks from the
middle of the 1st century BC determined the proliferation of numerous pottery workshops. After the fall of the empire (end Walls shaped mainly with pale-yellow colored and well-preserved bricks.
of the 5th century), the city was depopulated for long periods. During the Medieval times, the so-called Communal Age (12-
13th centuries) was a time of expansion of the city, when the reuse of building materials -dimensioned stone and bricks- MEDIEVAL TIMES (MT)
from ruined Roman constructions was a very extensive practice. The Abbey of Saint Justine of Padua (5/6-16th centuries) th
Romanesque walls (12-13 ), Outer East walls; 48 °C, 28% RH
nowadays includes a basilica and a Benedictine monastery and it stands next to the Prato della Valle square, where a
Roman necropolis and theatre -named lo Zairo- were by the 1-3/4th centuries. Around the 5-6th centuries, a small basilica
(exposed to high insolation in summer and variable climatic conditions)
where Saint Justine of Padua was buried and an attached chapel (sacello) were built. After major damages caused by the
earthquake of 1117, the pristine basilica was rebuilt in the 12th century, with the extensive reuse of bricks and stones
(mainly trachyte). This rebuilt basilica was almost demolished in 1502 and the current basilica was built during the 16th
century, according to a Renaissance project.
Basilica of Saint Justine of Padua next to Pratto della Valle
Conditions and main types of bricks used on the sampling areas
TM
Google
The Roman remains, the Late Antiquity areas and the inner Medieval walls are exposed to high humidity and they are quite 1 cm
1 cm
closed areas where the environmental conditions remain fairly constant. The outer east Medieval walls are exposed both
to a major fluctuation of the climatic values and to an important insolation degree during the summer. The brick fabrics
were joined by lime mortars and, mainly, yellow (with pale and dark hue) and beige colored bricks were used. The bricks
shown an overall good conservation state, except some used on such external walls, just those with dark-yellow color.

Research aims
1 cm
With an interdisciplinary approach, the multi-analytical study of bricks from the Basilica of Saint Justine of Padua aims: i)
to shed light about the manufacturing technologies used in the city during the Roman, Late Antiquity and Medieval times th Yellowish and
Basilica of Saint Justine of Padua, Italy (5-16 centuries) well-preserved bricks. Walls shaped with beige (in a good conservation state, right up) and dark-yellow
and ii) to state the main factors involved in the conservation and decay of the bricks. colored (highly decayed, right down) bricks.

RESULTS & DISCUSSION

Cpx
Petrological features (POM) XRPD analysis Residual minerals
Qtz
Qz: quartz
Anl
Cpx
Cpx Kfs: K-feldspars
An
Anl An
Dark-yellow hue Cpx Cpx

bricks 900-950 °C Qtz

An Gh
Qtz
High-T phases
Fo
Gh: gehlenite
Cal An: anorthite
Beige hue KfsAn
Cpx: clinopyroxene
bricks ˜900 °C Kfs Fo: forsterite
Anl
Pale-yellow hue An Secondary minerals
An
bricks 900-950 °C Cbz Cal: calcite
Anl: analcime
Cbz: chabazite
1 mm 500 mm 1 mm 10 20 30 40 °2Q (Coa)

1 The detection of anorthite, clinopyroxene and gehlenite point out that Mg-rich calcareous clays and illitic clays were
th th th
Pale-yellow bricks, Early-Christian (5-6 ) Beige bricks, Romanesque walls (12-13 ) Dark-yellow bricks, Romanesque walls (12-13 ) used and that firing temperatures between 900 and 950 °C were reached. The high temperature mineral phases are
The Roman bricks (with yellow hue) and the pale-yellow bodies from the Late Antiquity areas display similar petrological features, showing a yellow-brown color and optically very low active more abundant in the yellow bodies -in concomitance with the lower presence of quartz- as well as the greater
groundmass, mainly corresponding to highly dense portions (left). intensity of the anorthite and clinopyroxene main reflections with respect of gehlenite. This may indicate that they
The beige bodies are characterised by a brown color and an optically low active groundmass where secondary calcite is rather abundand (center). were produced using clays richer in carbonates and fired at higher temperatures (between 900-950 °C) than the beige
The dark-yellow bodies show very similiar petrological features to the Roman and the pale-yellow bodies from the Late Antiquity areas, but the groundmass is highly porous (right). bodies (circa of 900 °C).
The lesser optical activity of the groundmass, the lower content of silicate inclusions -in turn with more rounded shapes and smaller in size, as they were progressively consumed to form the high- The calcite detected should mainly correspond to secondary calcite, in that new-formed phases and primary
temperature phases- and the higher development of reaction rims observed in the yellow hue bricks suggest that they were fired at higher temperatures than the beige hue bricks. carbonates cannot theoretically be together. The detection of zeolite secondary hydration products (analcime and
chabazite) only in the yellow bodies suggests that high calcium contents may foster their formation, so the nucleation
of these type of zeolites also points out that Ca-rich clays were used.
Microstructural and micro-chemical analysis (SEM-EDS) Very similar mineralogical composition was detected in the pale and dark-yellow bricks (except regarding to calcite).

Pale-yellow bricks Beige bricks Dark-yellow bricks Pale-yellow bricks Beige bricks
a 20 mm b Si Diopside-type crystals c d e
Mg Quartz Mg-rich Si
Si clayey grain
Calcite
Calcite
Al Al
O Calcite O
O
3 Ca Ca K Ca Calcite
Ca K Fe Calcite
Fe Calcite
200 mm 2 mm 10 mm
Ca-aluminosilicate phase 1 mm 200 mm 10 mm CaK-zeolite
Mg-silicate
200 mm The coarse calcite inclusions withing the pale-yellow bodies may correspond to primary calcite partially preserved
during firing due to such coarse size. Inside these calcite inclusions, acicular and fan-shaped crystals corresponding to
The pale-yellow bodies show a fine grain microstructure where inclusions are dispersed in a dense micromass mainly constituted by Ca-plagioclase crystals and dark grains composed by Mg- CaK-zeolite were identified. The abundant amorphous phase yielded by high-fired calcareous clays may foster zeolite
silicate crystals and with melilitic reaction rims were observed (a). Inclusions are bound by an amorphous phase with a Ca-aluminosilicate composition where pyroxene-type crystals nucleated formation, boosted in turn by the hydration of the amorphous phase (enhanced by the high humid conditions of the
(b). The microstructure of the beige bricks showed a coarse texture with abundant inclusions, many with calcite rims (c). Ca-plagioclase are noted in a lesser extent, abundant Mg-bearing clayey pale-yellow bodies settlement) and by alkaline fluids.
grains are noted and Mg-silicates crystals were only detected within the very small grains. A low porous texture is observed, mainly because of the abundant secondary calcite that was The secondary calcite observed within the beige bodies correspond to re-carbonated calcite (extended through the
precipitated through the micromass, which determined the partial sealing of the porous system (d). In the dark-yellow bodies, the Ca-aluminosilicate amorphous phase has been largely lost,so matrix) and precipitated calcite (within the porosity, mainly sealing the shrinkage rims). The lime required for its
the porosity of the bodies has been increased (e). formation could come from the lime binders of the brick fabrics and/or from the nearby aqueous solutions. The
significant calcite rims observed suggest the soaking in water of bricks just after firing, in order to avoid lime blowing.

CONCLUSIONS
Brick production technologies and reused operations

The Roman manufacturing technologies that produced yellow bricks were probably inherited during the Late Antiquity, especially for the use of illitic clays with high Ca-Mg-carbonates and
the firing at temperature exceeding 900 °C, yielding likewise yellow hue bricks.

At the Medieval Times, a lesser carbonate content on the starting raw clays and/or the decrease of the firing temperatures were progressively accomplished, giving rise to beige hue bodies.

As the Late Antiquity areas are mainly shaped by pale-yellow color bricks and the Medieval walls by beige ones, the color may entail an identifier of an specific construction period.

The similar mineralogical composition and petrological features of the pale and dark-yellow bricks point out that they were produced according to analogous technologies.
These dark-yellow bricks seem to correspond with former bricks -probably from Roman times- that were reused on the Medieval walls.

Preservation and decay of the bricks

In the yellow hue bodies, the significant development of a Ca-rich amorphous phase and of a high-temperature pyroxene-type crystals has provided strength to the bricks.

In the beige hue bodies, the significant secondary calcite formation has enhanced the cementation of the bodies.

The pale and dark-yellow bricks may correspond to the same type of brick, being the former rather well-preserved and the latter very decayed.

The reuse operations have allowed to understand the implication of the manufacturing process on the conservation and decay of these yellow bricks, playing the surrounding environment an essential role.

Therefore, the Ca-aluminosilicate vitreous phase has been well-preserved under fairly constant humid conditions.
However, insolation and changing conditions have induced its loss and, conversely, its binder action, prompting the granular disaggregation of the bodies.

The use of calcite-rich clays and high humid conditions foster the formation of zeolite hydration products, so its presence represents a marker of raw clays composition and environmental conditions.

Durable bricks from local clays especially suitable for high humidity areas and that may preserve the aesthetical values of the city of Padua may be currently produced.

References
Causarano, M.A. (2019): Il reimpiego dei laterizi romani nell'edilizia medievale di Padova, in: E. Bukowiecki, A. Pizzo, R. Volpe (Eds.), Roma, Italy, 109-114.
Chavarría, A. (20119: Percezione e dato archeologico sull'architettura medievale a Padova in età comunale, Archeologia dell'Architettura XV, 151-162.
Maritan, L. (2020): Ceramic abandonment: How to recognize post-depositional transformations, Archaeological Anthropological Sciences 12,199. DOI: 10.1007/s12520-020-01141-y
Pérez-Monserrat, E.M., Causarano, M.A., Maritan, L., Chavarria, A., Brogiolo, G.P. & Cultrone, G. (2022): Roman brick production technologies in Padua (Northern Italy) along the Late Antiquity and Medieval Times: durable bricks on high humid environs.
Journal of Cultural Heritage 54: 12-20. DOI: 10.1016/j.culher.2022.01.007
Funding: this work was supported by the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship [CLAYONRISK Project, N° 836122] and by the Research Group of the Junta de Andalucía, Spain (RNM179).
Acknowledgements: thanks are given to Giulio Pagnoni (Abbot of Saint Justine), Leonardo Tauro, Chiara Dalconi and Marco Favero (Geosciences Department of Padua University) and Alicia Gonzalez (Scientific Instrumentation Centre of Granada University).