CHARACTERIZATION PROCEDURE FOR ANCIENT MORTARS’ RESTORATION: THE PLASTERS OF THE CAVALLERIZZA COURTYARD IN THE DUCAL PALACE IN MANTUA (ITALY)

The problem of the characterisation of ancient mortars and plasters for restoration purposes is here discussed and a methodology proposed starting from the physical separation of binder from aggregates. The procedure was applied to the plasters of the Ducal Palace in Mantua [Mantova] (Cavallerizza courtyard, XVI cent.): the results show the suitability of the proposed methodology for the determination of the plasters’ nature, microstructure and even original formulation