Methodology

Powder X-Ray Diffraction (PXRD) analyses were carried out in order to identify the crystalline phases present
in the rock materials composing the masonry structure under investigation. For these analyses, the samples
were first crushed into smaller pieces and a piece from the bulk of the original specimen was milled into fine
powder (d < 0.063 mm). The PXRD analyses was carried out using a Bruker D8 Advance instrument. The
crystalline phases were identified using Bruker's EVA (v. 15.0) software program, which is coupled with the
International Centre for Diffraction Data (ICDD) database. The semi-quantitative analysis was performed using
Bruker's TOPAS software. The samples were scanned from 2o-70o with a scan rate of 2o/min.

General comments for S1, S4, S5 and S6 stones

S1, S4, S5 and S6 are sedimentary rocks belonging to the Kythrea Geological Formation. S1, S4 and S6 stones
consist almost exclusively of dolomite (> 90% w/w) and may thus be characterized as dolostones or dolomitic
rocks. Small amounts of calcite (ca. 4–5 % w/w) were also observed in samples S1 and S6; the calcite/dolomite
ratio in these samples is ca. 1/20. On the other hand, S5 is abundant in both dolomite and calcite at a ratio ca.
1/1.

S1, S5 and S6 are light-grey in colour, whilst S4 is a dark-grey dolostone. All these samples may be characterized
as microcrystalline and have possibly been formed following recrystallization by metamorphism. A few white
veins can also be observed throughout samples S1 and S6, possibly from calcite and/or magnesite precipitation
into pre-existing cracks. The presence of magnesium in the composition of all aforementioned samples is
expected to lead to increased strength and hardness, compared to an ordinary limestone.

General comments for S2 and S3 stones

S2 and S3 are coarse-grained stones possibly belonging to the Nicosia Geological Formation. The
aforementioned brown – orange stones are rich in calcite (>75% w/w) and may therefore be classified as
limestones. Notable amounts of silicates (16% w/w) and dolomite (6%), as well as traces of gypsum were also
observed in sample S3.

These detrital carbonate rocks can be formed in marine environment. They are composed of calcitic grains of
diameter ≤2 mm (sand-grain size), held in a sparry calcitic matrix (see also stereomicroscopic images); the
grains of the samples demonstrate a dense structure with high consistency. However, from microscopic
observations they appear slightly altered, possibly due to diagenesis; hence, the stones have a microclastic
structure and they are expected to have a lower compressive strength, compared to S1, S4, S5 and S6.
Table 1: Semi-Quantitative Results (%) of PXRD Analysis
Calcite Mg-Calcite Dolomite Silicates Gypsum
S1 5 - 94 - 1
S2 - 99 traces traces -
S3 77 - 6 16 traces
S4 - 2 98 - -
S5 47 - 53 - -
S6 4 - 96 traces -
 S1
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2-Theta - Scale
S1 - File: S1.raw - Type: Locked Coupled - Start: 2.000 ° - End: 70.006 ° - Step: 0.039 ° - Step time: 177. s - Temp.: 25 °C (Room) - Time Started: 11 s - 2-Theta: 2.000 ° - Theta: 1.000 ° - Chi: 0.00 ° - Phi: 0.00 ° - X: 0.0 mm - Y: 0
Operations: Background 1.000,0.000 | Import
01-089-5862 (A) - Dolomite - CaMg(CO3)2 - Y: 46.08 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Rhombo.H.axes - a 4.80900 - b 4.80900 - c 16.01819 - alpha 90.000 - beta 90.000 - gamma 120.000 - Primitive - R-3 (148) - 3 - 320.814 - I/Ic P
01-085-1108 (D) - Calcite, syn - CaCO3 - Y: 7.44 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Rhombo.H.axes - a 4.98030 - b 4.98030 - c 17.01870 - alpha 90.000 - beta 90.000 - gamma 120.000 - Primitive - R-3c (167) - 6 - 365.568 - I/Ic PDF
00-006-0047 (D) - Gypsum - CaSO4·2H2O - Y: 1.61 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Monoclinic - a 5.68000 - b 15.18000 - c 6.51000 - alpha 90.000 - beta 118.400 - gamma 90.000 - Body-centered - I2/a (15) - 4 - 493.754 - F30= 1
 S2
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2-Theta - Scale
S2 - File: S2.raw - Type: Locked Coupled - Start: 2.000 ° - End: 70.006 ° - Step: 0.039 ° - Step time: 177. s - Temp.: 25 °C (Room) - Time Started: 11 s - 2-Theta: 2.000 ° - Theta: 1.000 ° - Chi: 0.00 ° - Phi: 0.00 ° - X: 0.0 mm - Y: 0
Operations: Background 1.000,0.000 | Import
01-089-1305 (*) - Calcite, magnesium, syn - (Mg0.06Ca0.94)(CO3) - Y: 79.79 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Rhombo.H.axes - a 4.96300 - b 4.96300 - c 16.95700 - alpha 90.000 - beta 90.000 - gamma 120.000 - Primitive - R-3c (1
01-089-8951 (A) - Silicon Oxide - SiO2 - Y: 1.47 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Hexagonal - a 4.99730 - b 4.99730 - c 5.45720 - alpha 90.000 - beta 90.000 - gamma 120.000 - Primitive - P6222 (180) - 3 - 118.024 - I/Ic PDF 4.6 - S
01-083-1766 (A) - Dolomite - MgCa(CO3)2 - Y: 1.89 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Rhombo.H.axes - a 4.81200 - b 4.81200 - c 16.02000 - alpha 90.000 - beta 90.000 - gamma 120.000 - Primitive - R-3 (148) - 3 - 321.251 - I/Ic PD
01-089-8575 (A) - Albite - Na(AlSi3O8) - Y: 1.34 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Triclinic - a 8.12600 - b 12.99600 - c 7.16400 - alpha 90.000 - beta 116.650 - gamma 90.000 - Base-centered - C-1 (2) - 4 - 676.184 - I/Ic PDF 0.7 - S-
 s3

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2-Theta - Scale
s3 - File: S3.raw - Type: Locked Coupled - Start: 2.000 ° - End: 70.006 ° - Step: 0.039 ° - Step time: 177. s - Temp.: 25 °C (Room) - Time Started: 10 s - 2-Theta: 2.000 ° - Theta: 1.000 ° - Chi: 0.00 ° - Phi: 0.00 ° - X: 0.0 mm - Y: 0
Operations: Background 1.000,0.000 | Import
01-085-0849 (A) - Calcite, syn - CaCO3 - Y: 78.64 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Rhombo.H.axes - a 4.98030 - b 4.98030 - c 17.01870 - alpha 90.000 - beta 90.000 - gamma 120.000 - Primitive - R-3c (167) - 6 - 365.568 - I/Ic PDF
01-075-3699 (A) - Dolomite - CaMg(CO3)2 - Y: 4.68 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Rhombo.H.axes - a 4.80090 - b 4.80090 - c 16.10690 - alpha 90.000 - beta 90.000 - gamma 120.000 - Primitive - R-3 (148) - 3 - 321.505 - I/Ic PD
03-065-0466 (A) - Quartz low, syn - O2Si - Y: 16.71 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Hexagonal - a 4.91410 - b 4.91410 - c 5.40600 - alpha 90.000 - beta 90.000 - gamma 120.000 - Primitive - P3221 (154) - 3 - 113.056 - I/Ic PDF 3.3
01-089-8575 (A) - Albite - Na(AlSi3O8) - Y: 3.52 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Triclinic - a 8.12600 - b 12.99600 - c 7.16400 - alpha 90.000 - beta 116.650 - gamma 90.000 - Base-centered - C-1 (2) - 4 - 676.184 - I/Ic PDF 0.7 - F3
00-003-0044 (D) - Gypsum - CaSO4·2H2O - Y: 1.64 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Monoclinic - a 10.47000 - b 15.15000 - c 6.51000 - alpha 90.000 - beta 151.550 - gamma 90.000 - Base-centered - C2/c (15) - 4 - 491.931 - F15=
 S4
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2-Theta - Scale
S4 - File: S4.raw - Type: Locked Coupled - Start: 2.000 ° - End: 70.006 ° - Step: 0.039 ° - Step time: 177. s - Temp.: 25 °C (Room) - Time Started: 11 s - 2-Theta: 2.000 ° - Theta: 1.000 ° - Chi: 0.00 ° - Phi: 0.00 ° - X: 0.0 mm - Y: 0
Operations: Background 1.000,0.000 | Import
01-089-1305 (*) - Calcite, magnesium, syn - (Mg0.06Ca0.94)(CO3) - Y: 0.85 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Rhombo.H.axes - a 4.96300 - b 4.96300 - c 16.95700 - alpha 90.000 - beta 90.000 - gamma 120.000 - Primitive - R-3c (16
01-089-5862 (A) - Dolomite - CaMg(CO3)2 - Y: 50.31 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Rhombo.H.axes - a 4.80900 - b 4.80900 - c 16.01819 - alpha 90.000 - beta 90.000 - gamma 120.000 - Primitive - R-3 (148) - 3 - 320.814 - I/Ic P
01-089-8575 (A) - Albite - Na(AlSi3O8) - Y: 1.27 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Triclinic - a 8.12600 - b 12.99600 - c 7.16400 - alpha 90.000 - beta 116.650 - gamma 90.000 - Base-centered - C-1 (2) - 4 - 676.184 - I/Ic PDF 0.7 - S-
 S5
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2-Theta - Scale
S5 - File: S5.raw - Type: Locked Coupled - Start: 2.000 ° - End: 70.006 ° - Step: 0.039 ° - Step time: 177. s - Temp.: 25 °C (Room) - Time Started: 11 s - 2-Theta: 2.000 ° - Theta: 1.000 ° - Chi: 0.00 ° - Phi: 0.00 ° - X: 0.0 mm - Y: 0
Operations: Background 1.000,0.000 | Import
01-086-0174 (A) - Calcite, syn - Ca(CO3) - Y: 64.13 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Rhombo.H.axes - a 4.98800 - b 4.98800 - c 17.06800 - alpha 90.000 - beta 90.000 - gamma 120.000 - Primitive - R-3c (167) - 6 - 367.761 - I/Ic PD
01-089-5862 (A) - Dolomite - CaMg(CO3)2 - Y: 44.68 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Rhombo.H.axes - a 4.80900 - b 4.80900 - c 16.01819 - alpha 90.000 - beta 90.000 - gamma 120.000 - Primitive - R-3 (148) - 3 - 320.814 - I/Ic P
01-089-8937 (A) - Silicon Oxide - SiO2 - Y: 1.41 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Hexagonal - a 4.93840 - b 4.93840 - c 5.42130 - alpha 90.000 - beta 90.000 - gamma 120.000 - Primitive - P3221 (154) - 3 - 114.500 - I/Ic PDF 2.9 - S
01-089-8575 (A) - Albite - Na(AlSi3O8) - Y: 0.01 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Triclinic - a 8.12600 - b 12.99600 - c 7.16400 - alpha 90.000 - beta 116.650 - gamma 90.000 - Base-centered - C-1 (2) - 4 - 676.184 - I/Ic PDF 0.7 - S-
 S6
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2-Theta - Scale
S6 - File: S6.raw - Type: Locked Coupled - Start: 2.000 ° - End: 70.006 ° - Step: 0.039 ° - Step time: 177. s - Temp.: 25 °C (Room) - Time Started: 11 s - 2-Theta: 2.000 ° - Theta: 1.000 ° - Chi: 0.00 ° - Phi: 0.00 ° - X: 0.0 mm - Y: 0
Operations: Background 1.000,0.000 | Import
01-085-0849 (A) - Calcite, syn - CaCO3 - Y: 1.99 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Rhombo.H.axes - a 4.98030 - b 4.98030 - c 17.01870 - alpha 90.000 - beta 90.000 - gamma 120.000 - Primitive - R-3c (167) - 6 - 365.568 - I/Ic PDF
01-089-5862 (A) - Dolomite - CaMg(CO3)2 - Y: 31.69 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Rhombo.H.axes - a 4.80900 - b 4.80900 - c 16.01819 - alpha 90.000 - beta 90.000 - gamma 120.000 - Primitive - R-3 (148) - 3 - 320.814 - I/Ic P
01-089-8575 (A) - Albite - Na(AlSi3O8) - Y: 1.36 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Triclinic - a 8.12600 - b 12.99600 - c 7.16400 - alpha 90.000 - beta 116.650 - gamma 90.000 - Base-centered - C-1 (2) - 4 - 676.184 - I/Ic PDF 0.7 - S-