minerals Article Ancient Roman Mortars from Villa del Capo di Sorrento:A Multi-Analytical Approach to Define Microstructural and Compositional Features Concetta Rispoli 1,2,* , Renata Esposito 3, Luigi Guerriero 1 and Piergiulio Cappelletti 1,2 1 Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell’Ambiente e delle Risorse, Università di Napoli Federico II, Complesso Universitario Monte Sant’Angelo, Ed. L, Via Cintia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy;
[email protected] (L.G.);
[email protected] (P.C.) 2 Center for Research on Archaeometry and Conservation Science, CRACS, Ed. L, Via Cintia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy 3 Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Porta di Massa 1, 80133 Naples, Italy;
[email protected] * Correspondence:
[email protected] Abstract: This research provides a characterization of ancient Roman mortars from “Villa del Capo di Sorrento” (commonly known as “Villa di Pollio Felice” or “Bagni della Regina Giovanna”). A deepened analysis of cementitious binding matrix and aggregates was conducted with the aims of determining possible sources of raw materials and the mix recipe, and to evaluate the minerogenetic secondary processes. Twenty samples taken from the Villa were investigated by means of a multi-analytical Citation: Rispoli, C.; Esposito, R.; approach, including polarized optical microscopy on thin sections, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning Guerriero, L.; Cappelletti, P. Ancient electron microscopy analysis, energy dispersed spectrometry, simultaneous thermal analyses, and Roman Mortars from Villa del Capo di mercury intrusion porosimetry. Bedding mortars were made with slaked lime mixed with volcanic Sorrento: A Multi-Analytical Approach to Define Microstructural materials, whereas coating mortars were made adding to previous recipe as ceramic fragments.