Greek zeolites and Agia Sofia – N. Lygeros

Some topics do not appear to have a direct connection, and this is certainly the case with Greek zeolite and Hagia Sophia. They certainly share a common context due to Thrace and Constantinople, but there are also practical applications. As part of the church’s conservation work a few decades ago, concrete was used to secure sections of the exterior wall beneath the roof. It has now been observed that the concrete has deteriorated and that it would be preferable to use a mortar containing pozzolan. In fact, analyses were carried out on the church’s original material to find a composition with similar ingredients.

We can now see that zeolite has even better properties than this material and is used in the conservation of archaeological monuments. So we can imagine that, little by little, the conservation work at Hagia Sophia will come to use Greek zeolite to continue its legacy after fifteen centuries, thanks to a material that comes from the earth itself…

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