In the Steps of William the Conqueror: Neutron Activation Analysis of Caen Stone*

Quarries in the Bathonian stone formation surrounding Caen produced high‐quality limestone for medieval churches in northern France and southern England and for their sculptural decoration. To investigate compositional differences among proximate stone sources, 103 samples collected from five separate quarries were analysed by NAA. The results show Caen stone to be essentially pure calcite and relatively homogeneous, but distinction among quarries is possible by discriminant analysis. Comparing compositions of quarry samples with data in the Brookhaven Limestone Database identified the origin of stone used in masonry and sculpture at Saint‐Étienne and La Trinité, Caen, and in several museum objects.