Historical cements and deterioration materials: the case-study of the Palace of Knossos.

The Palace of Knossos in Crete is unique in its historical authenticity both in terms of its importance as an archaeological site, as well as for the history of restoration. The excavations begun at the end of the 19th century and were completed at the beginning of the 20th century, uncovering a large built area with complex structures and distinct functions, rich in objects and showing a careful choice of materials and decorations. The need to preserve the excavated areas by the archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans and his team, along with the desire to remake the grandeur of the palace, originated in the reconstruction of some of the structures according to their knowledge of the site and current concepts of the time, using the most modern existing building materials such as cement.
Not assessing the merits of choices made by Evans, the fact is that these reconstructions helped to give the dimension of the Palace and are in themselves part of the history of the monument. Despite the durability and strength of cements,
they are not immune to deterioration, environmental conditions and increasing number of visitors. This study aimed to the multi-analytical physical, chemical, and mineralogical characterization of cements samples and decay crusts collected in
reconstruction zones of the Knossos Palace, to better understand the current characteristics of these materials and possible relationship with deterioration processes, contributing to future maintenance and preservation actions.