Mauritanian architects used bone powder Jan 22, 2009

Bookmark this article:

Archeologists recently found out that Mauritanian architects used animal bones to protect the walls of the castle not far away from the Alhambra Palace in the south of Spain. According to the chief archeologist of the research group, this discovery is the evidence that Mauritanian architects used powder made of animal bones to protect the walls. Similar cases have been known earlier. This method was used by Greek, Roman and Celtic builders. This discovery was made accidentally; one of the archeologists working on restoration of four-meter long castle wall not far away from Alhambra Palace stumbled against ceramic oven and saw a bunch of bones in it.

Trying to find out what the castle wall was covered with, archeologists did a research work in collaboration with scientists from Mineralogy University. They found out that the oven could reach temperatures over 1000 C, which is much higher than the temperature that is normally used for baking clay. It made it clear that the oven was used on a different purpose. They found hydroxyapatite on the oven, a mineral that is a main component of bones. In order to dry bones they should be heated till high temperature. Later, similar substance was found on the cover of the wall with the help of ultra-sensitive methods.

Archeologists say that in comparison with other substances bone powder is considered to be the best component for these kind of walls. In the majority of cases bone powder was prepared from pig bones. Probably, walls of many other buildings in the vicinity are also covered with bone powder. However, it’s not proved yet whether the Alhambra Palace walls were covered with bone powder or not. The castle wall was built between year 1333 and 1354 at the time of Mauritanian ruler Yusuf the First who also helped building Alhambra complex.

The Palace that is considered an architectural pearl is located near Granada, Spain where Mauritanian caliphs ruled the biggest part of Spain until King Ferdinand and Queen Elisabeth banished them in 1492 and ended the Muslim yoke. The complex was built in the 14th century as a residency for Mauritanian rulers. Nowadays it’s a museum of Islam architecture. The complex attracts millions of tourists yearly and is listed in the UNESCO world heritage site list.