Radiocarbon dating of iron reinforcements of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral
Résumé
Iron reinforcements of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral are a source of data for the interpretation of gothic architecture. The radiocarbon dating of these metals can provide information on the chronology of the different construction periods of the building as well as revealing potential recycling during restoration phases. In addition, this method coupled with archaeometallurgical analyses can illuminate the roles played by iron in the strategy of the erection of the monument.
Among iron artefacts in the cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris are found staples in the masonry of the tribunes, nave, aisles and upper walls. The restoration works also reveal various tie-rods, dowels, ridge caps and framing irons such as nails, bolted rods or keyed dowels. M. L’Héritier et al. [1] performed the radiocarbon dating of six staples: two of them come from the tribunes and four from the upper walls. These first results revealed that staples from the tribunes are older than those from the upper walls, and it coincides with the cathedral’s construction phases (middle of the 12th century and beginning of the 13th century). Following the experimental procedure described by S. Leroy et al. [2] for Bourges and Beauvais cathedrals’ iron reinforcements, two ancient supporting tie-rods coming from the clerestory windows were also dated. According to the first data obtained, it can be confirmed that these crossbars are not from the same period, which confirms the metallographic data. This could be an example of restauration in the monument. However, for better and consistent results, other samples of these tie-rods should be analyzed in the future.
In this way, radiocarbon analyses, coupled with metallographic and archaeometric studies, will help for our understanding of this gothic monument and more precisely of the buildings techniques through the use of iron reinforcements.
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