The Pyramids in Bosnia (Europe), man-made stone or Roman concrete
Archaeology
13 fév 2009
The excavations of the first Bosnian (and European) pyramids are underway. They are bringing interesting photos from the excavation site.
To know more visit
Archaeological Park: Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun Foundation
From the photos available, the stone material seems to be natural pudding stone or perhaps man-made stone, a type of Roman concrete, called Opus Caementium. I am waiting for more data.
(Update Sept. 21, 2008) Excavations are on the way and the results are indeed interesting. I’ll discuss it when I meet with Semir Osmanagic in Edinburgh. See Histories & Mysteries Conference.
(Update December 3, 2008) I got a piece extracted at the « pyramid foundation ». It is made of antique concrete (not modern) worth of being analyzed.
(Update February 8, 2009) I read with pleasure the last news about the analysis carried out at the University in Zenica, Bosnia. This confirms the first impression I got by studying the sample of concrete Semir Osmanagic gave me in Edinburgh. I was struck by the presence of pockets of what seemed to be calcined clay.
In the internet site Archaeological Park: Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun Foundation, the news dated of 03 February 2009, STONE BLOCKS FROM THE BOSNIAN PYRAMIDS ANALIZED; RESULT – ANCIENT CONCRETE, reproduces the statement by professor Muhamed Pasic from the Institute for materials, « … that poorly baked clay crushed with water possesses binding properties … », and was used to produce the concrete blocks that look like natural pudding stone. Everybody should know and acknowledge that some clays, notably those based on kaolinitic make up, when calcined, or backed at moderate temperature, i.e. between 500 and 750 °C, yield a very reactive material that is called metakaolin, when pure. This material is one of the preferred reactive ingredient (among others) in our modern geopolymer technology and geopolymer concrete. Go to the Geopolymer Institute. It has been the basis of the best Roman cement mastered by the Roman Engineers 2000 years ago, who added to lime the backed clay called in latin « testa », translated into pot-sherd or backed clay. The result of this technology was called Opus Signinum and Opus Testacaeum and can be admired today in the Pantheon and the Coliseo, the Thermal Baths, etc.. in Rome. Our knowledge about the reactivity of this moderate temperature backed clay is very young (I discovered it, 30 years ago) and I am enthousiatic in reading that it could have been used by those who built the Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun, Visoko.