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For the plaster of the "oses", crushcd burnt clay was addcd to thc mortar to give

some colour,

Suq ٨I Khamis Mosque : A ١inarct has becn rcstored in ١987 by the architect
Ahlcgue Abdolatif. For the etcrnal plaster a dry mix was prcparcd with double
washed marine sand, gypsum and A'Ali linc, folloving this ratio :

2 Sand
2 Gypsum
I Lime

Water was added at the last noment. he same basic mix is also used by local
masons, gauged with crushed raw clay.

NOES :
1. With this article I want to thank the Ministry of Information which gave me the

opportunity to work as conservator architect at the Portuguese fort of Oal'at al Bahrain
in 1987.
I am particularly indebted to Sir Bermard Feilden who has always kindly supported me
with his wisdom and his incomparable knowledge of conservation of historic buildings.
A special thank goes to Dr. Monique Kervran, who pushed me to write this article and
gave me all the archaeological information together with the enjoyment of her job.
I am finally grateful to Mr. Mc Millan, director of the Material esting & Research
Section of the Ministry of Works, not only for the analyses carried out, but also for the
patience he has shown in discussing technical matters with me, With him I also thank the
senior chemist, Mrs. Almulla٠

2. As to this point, it might be interesting to remember that during the restoration of Arad
fort and despite the utilisation of already slaked hime and mixer machines the
preparation of mortars and plasters used to require nearly fitfy per cent of all the
labourers.

3. Nearly all the microscopic and chemical analyses as well as the compression tests have
been made in 1987 by the staff of a Ministyr of Works laboratory directed by Mr. Mc
Millan. he mortar samples from Arad Fort have been analysed in the same laboratoyr
in 1984 by Dr. Sceal.
Finally, two samples have been obsevred in 1980 in Paris at the Centre d'Etude et de
Recherche des Liants Hydrauliques, by Mr. Longuet.

4. Me Millan

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