Archaeological discoveries

What is cement made out of in rome?

In ancient Rome, cement was primarily made from a mixture of volcanic ash, lime, and water. The most common type of volcanic ash used was pozzolana, which is found near the city of Pozzuoli in Italy. Pozzolana is a fine-grained, reactive volcanic ash that, when mixed with lime and water, forms a strong and durable cement.

The process of making Roman cement involved mixing pozzolana with lime and water in a ratio of about 2:1:1. The mixture was then heated to a high temperature in a kiln, where it underwent a chemical reaction called calcination. During calcination, the lime and pozzolana reacted to form a new compound called calcium silicate hydrate, which is the main component of cement.

The resulting cement was then ground into a fine powder and mixed with water to create a mortar. This mortar was used to build many of the famous structures in ancient Rome, including the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the aqueducts.

Roman cement was a remarkably strong and durable material, and it is still used in some construction projects today. Its durability is due to the fact that it is resistant to water and does not deteriorate over time.