Earthen mortars from Cremona (Northern Italy): The evolution throughout centuries of a manufacturing tradition

Earthen architectures were widespread in the town of Cremona (Northern Italy) until the first decades of the XX century. An archaeometric study of earthen mortars from buildings of different ages in Cremona allowed investigating the evolution throughout centuries of a well-established masonry tradition. Three typologies of earthen mortars were identified, differing in the amount of added lime. A two-step change in the technology of earthen mortars manufacturing has been inferred. Since the XVII century, lime was added in larger amounts to the mixtures. During the XVIII-XIX centuries, organic additives were employed to further improve the performances of the earthen mortars.