Caracterizarea mortarelor pentru castelul medieval de la Soroca, Republica Moldova

This study is the first result of research on the mortars and bricks used to build the medieval stone fortress of Soroca, carried out within the project “Ștefan cel Mare - common history, common heritage, Soroca-Vaslui”, 1HARD/2.1/50, coordinated by UPS “Ion Creangă”, Republic of Moldova. The investigation began with the primary goal of providing a complete characterization of the types of mortar and brick used in this citadel, but a more complex trajectory developed throughout the study. Mortars and bricks were characterized by petrographic, mineralogical and geochemical analyzes (X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and optical microscopy). The results showed that in the production of the mortars taken from different areas of the Citadel, siliceous aggregates and lime binders were used, the ratio between them, the microscopic appearance and the state of preservation of the component minerals allowed the establishment of their authenticity. More recent plaster and sand intervention mortars were identified in three areas. The results of the analysis of the brick revealed the nature of the mineral content.