Mineralogical and Geochemical Studies on Some Archaic Sites at Dahshor Area, South El Giza, Egypt
Khaled Esaghier Abo alkasem;
Abstract
The present work aims to study the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of the building stones of Red and Bent Pyramids at Dahshor archaeological site. Also, the obtained results were used to shed light on the depositional environment of the pyramids bed rocks and the processes contributing to the deterioration of the pyramid stones.
In order to achieve the aim of this study, field investigations, and several laboratory analyses were carried out on the ancient building stones and there bed rocks. Petrographically, the rocks of the core stones of the studied Pyramids are mainly represented by intrabiomicrite which usually graded to quartz-wacke and quartz- arenite. On the other hand, the casing building stones of these pyramids are represented by biomicrite and pelbiomicrite.
Grain size analysis revealed that the bed rocks were paleo-Nile riverine deposits, the result witnessed that the River Nile migrated east ward to the eastern side of its floodplain.
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) show that some parts of the pyramids stones have been exposed to several aggressive deterioration processes.
X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) revealed that calcite and quartz are the most common mineral constitutes of the pyramid building stones, with subordinate amount of gypsum and traces of clay minerals. In spite of, the deteriorated stone samples are nearly similar in mineralogical composition to the original stones, but they contain high amount of gypsum as a weathering product.
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and Energy dispersive microscopy (EDX) technique were used to determine the geochemical composition of the different bulk stone samples in order to study element distribution in the pyramid building stones and detect the weathering impacts.
SEM, XRD, XRF and EDAX analyses show complexity of deterioration features in the building stones due to the interaction of climatic, biological process and natural constituents of the pyramid stones.
The influence of weathering on the studied building stones were calculated using CIA ,WIP, CIW and WIP weathering indices which revealed that the deteriorations not only related to the origin or the age of the stones but also due to the environmental impact.
In order to achieve the aim of this study, field investigations, and several laboratory analyses were carried out on the ancient building stones and there bed rocks. Petrographically, the rocks of the core stones of the studied Pyramids are mainly represented by intrabiomicrite which usually graded to quartz-wacke and quartz- arenite. On the other hand, the casing building stones of these pyramids are represented by biomicrite and pelbiomicrite.
Grain size analysis revealed that the bed rocks were paleo-Nile riverine deposits, the result witnessed that the River Nile migrated east ward to the eastern side of its floodplain.
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) show that some parts of the pyramids stones have been exposed to several aggressive deterioration processes.
X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) revealed that calcite and quartz are the most common mineral constitutes of the pyramid building stones, with subordinate amount of gypsum and traces of clay minerals. In spite of, the deteriorated stone samples are nearly similar in mineralogical composition to the original stones, but they contain high amount of gypsum as a weathering product.
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and Energy dispersive microscopy (EDX) technique were used to determine the geochemical composition of the different bulk stone samples in order to study element distribution in the pyramid building stones and detect the weathering impacts.
SEM, XRD, XRF and EDAX analyses show complexity of deterioration features in the building stones due to the interaction of climatic, biological process and natural constituents of the pyramid stones.
The influence of weathering on the studied building stones were calculated using CIA ,WIP, CIW and WIP weathering indices which revealed that the deteriorations not only related to the origin or the age of the stones but also due to the environmental impact.
Other data
| Title | Mineralogical and Geochemical Studies on Some Archaic Sites at Dahshor Area, South El Giza, Egypt | Other Titles | دراسات معدنية وجيوكيميائية على بعض المواقع الأثرية في منطقة دهشور , جنوب الجيزة , مصر | Authors | Khaled Esaghier Abo alkasem | Issue Date | 2014 |
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