The history of the use of lime in the construction industry dates back thousands of years, spanning cultures and communities worldwide. In fact, around 4000 B.C., the ancient Egyptians used quicklime mixed with water as a building material for their pyramids. Although lime has multiple applications in the food and agricultural industries, as well as in chemical, mining, and steel industries, in architecture it is one of the main construction materials due to its versatility, adhesion, waterproofing, workability, performance, setting, and durability, which allow for the creation of masonry mortars, interior or exterior plasters, among other functions.
Although there are earlier civilizations that used lime mortars in the development of large structures, it is considered that the Romans were the first to use them in construction. More than 3000 years ago, the Cretan civilization in the Mediterranean used lime as a masonry mortar, and lime mortars were also used in the Great Wall of China. For example, the Pont du Gard aqueduct in Nîmes, in southern France, was built in 18 B.C. as a waterproofing case where a mortar based on hydraulic lime was used.
