Cille Donnain revisited: negotiating with lime across Atlantic Scotland from the 12th century

Citation

Thacker M (2015) Cille Donnain revisited: negotiating with lime across Atlantic Scotland from the 12th century. Journal of the North Atlantic, 9, pp. 45-66. https://doi.org/10.3721/037.002.sp903

Abstract
This paper introduces the initial findings from an ongoing buildings archaeology research project. I present the results of two wide-ranging mortar surveys which describe the archaeological evidence for lime mortars within the 12th-century bicameral chapels of Atlantic Scotland and pre-Reformation chapels of the Western Isles. The diverse evidence for materials, plan form, and structure suggest important processes of cultural negotiation. I argue that lime mortar was an animated technological agent for Christianization, which enabled power and perspective to be mediated by complex culturally appropriate techniques.

Journal
Journal of the North Atlantic: Volume 9