Ciudad real & alarcos

[kenshin393]

I'm working on a piece concerning the aftermath of the battle of alarcos and I wondered if any of our Spanish members could help me out. I'd like to know the colour of stone used for castle building in the province and also the types of mortar used, also how pale the dust/earth is in the area, it looks quite pale in the photos I've seen.
I look forward to the flood of replies to this lol!
All the best, jim.

 

[oniria]

Hello Jim.
Yes, dust and earth in that area of Spain is pretty pale, almost desert like I'd say. Rocks are mostly limestone. The mortar used is mix of lime and pozzolana (you'd have to wiki for this one i guess)

Check this link:

http://www.ciudad-real.es/turismo/castilloalarcos.php

hope it helps.
SAludetes

 

[kenshin393]

Cheers for that, I'd not found that site yet, very useful.

 

[Mirofsoft]

for info to readers 11 jul 1195
Castillan ( Alphonse VII ) troops against sultan Yacoub, castillans are defeated

 

[kenshin393]

That's the one mirofsoft!
Sultan1:King0
Though he got his own back at las navas de tolosa a few years later which signalled the start of the decline of muslim power in spain once and for all.

 

[ChaosCossack]

That's what I was leaning towards... in Vallejo paints I dig into the Goldbrown, Buff, Dark Sand and Ochre Brown.

Very dry. Very dusty.

 

[kenshin393]

Aye, I've base coated in a desert yellow already, very pale mortar by the look of it.

 

[kenshin393]

Looks like Cotswold stone now I think of it. Must be missing the old country!

 

[kenshin393]

Hello Jim.
Yes, dust and earth in that area of Spain is pretty pale, almost desert like I'd say. Rocks are mostly limestone. The mortar used is mix of lime and pozzolana (you'd have to wiki for this one i guess)

Check this link:

http://www.ciudad-real.es/turismo/castilloalarcos.php

hope it helps.
SAludetes

For anyone that's interested, pozzolana is volcanic ash.