A Short History of the Use of Lime as a Building Material Beyond Europe and North America

The use of lime in building construction began at least 10,000 years ago, with debated evidence of earlier uses. The focus of academic research to date has been on historical and archaeological use of lime in Europe and the Near East. This work is an attempt to provide a summary of the history of lime as a building material in China, India, Africa, and Central and South America, based on available literature resources. Patterns of functional evolution suggest beginnings in small-scale, domestic surface coating evolving later to more widespread use linked to societal development in the regions considered. Commonalities exist in material characteristics and usage between different societies, linked to technological progress rather than absolute chronology.