Shocking discovery of civilization centuries ahead of Rome
The Phoenicians used sophisticated hydraulic lime technology 2,700 years ago, far ahead of the Roman period, leaving archaeologists in awe.
Báo Khoa học và Đời sống•08/08/2025
In a study published in the journal Scientific Reports, scientists found compelling evidence at the coastal site of Tell el-Burak in Lebanon that the Phoenicians pioneered hydraulic lime plastering technology. Photo: Tell el-Burak Archaeological Project / Science Reports. According to the research team, Phoenician builders deliberately mixed broken pottery shards into lime mortar to create a hydraulic mortar that could harden even in wet conditions. Photo: Tell el-Burak Archaeological Project / Science Reports.
The experts made the discovery while focusing on three plastered structures dating from around 725 BC to 600 BC. Among them was a well-preserved winery, which was the center of agricultural activity at the site. Photo: Amicine et al./Science Reports. The winery consists of a rectangular tank measuring 3.2 x 3.5m, connected by a channel to a semicircular tank with a capacity of about 4,500 litres, where the grape juice undergoes initial fermentation. Photo: Ancient origins. Instead of using locally available sand or seashells as aggregates, the Phoenicians deliberately chose broken pieces of pottery as pozzolans—substances that react chemically with lime to form hydraulic compounds. This is the earliest known evidence of Phoenician hydraulic lime technology in the Mediterranean. Photo: Amicone et al. 2025, Scientific Reports.
The pottery fragments were found to contain gehlenite, cristobalite and mullite – minerals typically associated with firing at temperatures above 800°C, suggesting the use of specially selected or engineered ceramic materials rather than ordinary ceramic waste. Photo: Amicone et al. 2025, Scientific Reports. Research by scientists shows that the Phoenicians achieved technological sophistication in sustainable construction as well as environmental protection. Photo: medium.com. The carefully selected ceramic materials may have come from the nearby Sarepta production site. The find suggests a well-organized, centralized system of craft production under the control of the Phoenician elite. Photo: thebrainchamber.
Not only that, the new discovery also proves that hydraulic lime plastering technology was used by the Phoenicians many centuries before the Romans used hydraulic concrete combined with volcanic ash. Photo: bookofmormonevidence. Readers are invited to watch the video: Revealing lost civilizations through archaeological remains.
Báo Khoa học và Đời sống•08/08/2025
Comment (0)