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Welcome!
I work with the geoarchaeology of old stone: quarries, monuments, rock art. And I try to figure out about their weathering, and conservation using traditional crafts. I also burn lime the traditional way. Many of my domestic services are managed through FABRICA, a registered Norwegian company established with good partners. On this website I publish articles on geology and cultural heritage. For the joy of old stone! Per Storemyr
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Recent posts
- Soapstone in the Far South of Norway (II): The Østre Vimme Multiperiod Quarry With Very Soft Soapstone
- Soapstone in the Far South of Norway (I): The Sparsås Iron Age Quarry
- Tafoni-forvitring i larvikitt på Rakke ved Stavern
- Bioerosion of shells on the beach – and in old Norwegian lime mortars
- Madam Jørgensens 230 år gamle feltspatgruve i Narestø
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Category Archives: Archaeology
Soapstone in the Far South of Norway (II): The Østre Vimme Multiperiod Quarry With Very Soft Soapstone
Østre Vimme is another of the several old soapstone quarries in the Aust-Agder region of Southern Norway. It was worked in the Iron Age for «standard» vessels, but it has at least three production phases, for which there may be a specific reason: Parts of the quarry feature very talc-rich and soft soapstone, implying that the stone was also easy to carve for small items like spindle whorls, sinkers and lamps. Hence, it would have been a valuable resource for a long time. Softness may be the result of a special geology. Dutch geologists have suggested that this is a deposit not derived from alteration of ultramafic rocks, which is by far most common mode of formation in Norway. Rather, it may derive from alteration of dolomitic limestone. There is only on other known soapstone deposit in Norway with such an origin. Here’s an account of this exciting quarry, also including a discussion of whether soapstone vessels from the quarry were exported to Denmark in the 9th century CE. Continue reading
Soapstone in the Far South of Norway (I): The Sparsås Iron Age Quarry
The region of Aust-Agder in Southern Norway hosts a range of Iron Age soapstone vessel quarries. One of them, the Sparsås quarry in Froland, is exceptionally well-preserved and one of the most “classic” quarries I have ever visited in Norway. With unfinished vessel blanks still attached to the quarry faces and a highly organised layout of the spoil heaps, it once must have been worked in an efficient way, providing vessels and other items for regional use and, quite probably, for export to Denmark and beyond. Here’s an account of the research history, geology and layout of the quarry. A hypothesis is also offered: This was a short-lived quarry, operated for a generation or so within the 9th or 10th century CE. Continue reading
Bioerosion of shells on the beach – and in old Norwegian lime mortars
Looking closely at shells on the beach, you will find that most have smaller and larger holes, tunnels and “galleries” made by boring organisms. This is bioerosion, a powerful part of the process that makes shells break down and eventually become part of a shell sand deposit. Along the coast of Norway, such deposits were sometimes dug for aggregate to make lime mortars for building medieval churches. And bioerosion of shell fragments in the mortars can still be seen under the microscope. It may aid the understanding of how the mortars were made. Continue reading
Posted in Archaeology, lime burning, Marble, Weathering history
Tagged bioerosion, kalk, lime, lime mortar, lime mortar microscopy, Moster gamle kirke, Norway, Sakshaug gamle kirke, sea shell
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Madam Jørgensens 230 år gamle feltspatgruve i Narestø
Det var en kvinne som startet utvinning av kvarts og feltspat i Norge. Omkring 1790 rodde madam Jørgensen langs Sørlandskysten for å finne feltspat hun hadde planer om å selge som råstoff til kongens porselensfabrikk i København. Ved Narestø på Flosta fant hun det hun lette etter. Det ble starten på et mineraleventyr. Jeg skrev om eventyret for 10 år siden. I dag fikk jeg endelig ta Norges eldste feltspatgruve i øyesyn. En velbevart gruve som var i drift helt til 1920-tallet. Continue reading
Posted in Archaeology, Norway, Old mines
Tagged feltspat, Flosta, gruve, kvarts, Madam Jørgensen, Narestø, Narestø feltspatgruve, pegmatitt
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Slag in Norwegian medieval lime mortars
During investigation of Hedrum church by Larvik in the winter of 2023, it was noticed that its hard, medieval lime mortars contained large amounts of slag fragments. By then it was not obvious whether the slag had been deliberately added, for example deriving from bog iron production, or whether it was naturally resulting from the burning of impure limestone at high temperatures. Subsequently, slag was discovered in medieval mortars at several other churches. Slag formation was also seen during contemporary, small-scale burning of impure limestone for restoration purposes. Hence, it became increasingly evident that “native” slag from the limestone itself is an ingredient not uncommon in old, Norwegian mortars. On further investigation and analysis, the significant hydraulic character of such mortars was moreover elucidated. This article discusses slag and other compounds and what effects they have on mortar properties. Continue reading
Posted in Archaeology, lime burning, Monument conservation, Norway
Tagged Hedrum church, kalk, kalkbrenning, kalkmørtel, kalkmørtel mikroskopi, kalkovn, kalkstein, lime, lime burning, lime mortar, lime mortar microscopy, limestone, marble, marmor, Nøtterøy church, slag, slag in lime mortar, slagg, slagg i kalkmørtel, tradisjonshåndverk, tradisjonskalk, Ulnes church
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Middelalderkirker i stein: Hva mikroskopanalyse av kalkmørtler kan fortelle om historie, skader og mørtelvalg for restaurering
Vi vet mye om alle steinene som er brukt i norske middelalderkirker. Det er gjort betydelig forskning på feltet, kunnskapen er publisert og er lett tilgjengelig for både fagfolk og lekfolk. Men vi vet nesten ingenting om kalkmørtlene som ble … Continue reading
Norwegian medieval lime mortars under the microscope
Happy New Year to all my readers! Having burnt lime the small-scale, traditional way for some time, over the last couple of years my interest in the fascinating world of old Norwegian lime mortars has intensified. As 2023 draws to … Continue reading
Moster gamle kirke: Middelalderkirken som ligger midt i et steinbruddslandskap
Ingen annen norsk middelalderkirke ligger så velplassert midt i et gammelt steinbruddslandskap som lille Moster gamle kirke på Bømlo. Det er vanskelig for den utrente å se i dag, men omkring kirken ligger det ikke mindre enn sju steinbrudd innen … Continue reading
Posted in Archaeology, lime burning, Marble, Norway, Old quarries
Tagged kalkbrenning, Kleberstein, marmor, Moster gamle kirke, Mosterhamn, Mosterkalk, Mostermarmor, steinbrudd, steinbruddslandskap
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Per Storemyr Geoarchaeology & Conservation 