The coral stone mosques of the Maldives are a series of culturally and architecturally unique sites. The mosques are assembled from porite coral stone hewn from the reef, and with their combination of carved coral stone and timber lacquerwork represent a cultural fusion found nowhere else in the world. The coral stone carpentry techniques used for the assembly of the mosques are now extinct, while coral mining is no longer possible for environmental reasons. The surviving mosques distributed throughout the country are the last of their kind and have become monuments of outstanding value that need to be protected for the future. Coralstone has been used historically for construction in tropical regions due to its availability and insulating properties.
Photo Pinya3.
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS.
Sedimentary rocks are types of rock that are formed by the accumulation or deposition of mineral or organic particles at Earth's surface, followed by cementation. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause these particles to settle in place. The particles that form a sedimentary rock are called sediment, and may be composed of geological detritus (minerals) or biological detritus (organic matter), which is the case we see in this EC. The geological detritus originated from weathering and erosion of existing rocks, or from the solidification of molten lava blobs erupted by volcanoes. The geological detritus is transported to the place of deposition by water, wind, ice or mass movement, which are called agents of denudation. Biological detritus was formed by bodies and parts (mainly shells) of dead aquatic organisms, as well as their faecal mass, suspended in water and slowly piling up on the floor of water bodies (marine snow).
CALCARENITE FROM CORAL SAND.
Calcarenite is a type of sedimentary limestone, the carbonate equivalent of sandstone, composed mainly of coral, shells and extinct creatures, compressed over aeons into a solid mass of calcium carbonate, commonly referred to as ‘coral stone’. It is also known as fossil stone, is a natural sedimentary rock primarily composed of coral, shells, and other marine organisms. Over time, these materials have accumulated and compressed into solid stone. This formation process gives coral stone its distinct fossilized appearance, with visible remnants of marine life embedded in the surface.
Coral sand is a form of aragonite sand particles originating in tropical and subtropical marine environments, primarily from bioerosion of limestone skeletal material of marine organisms. Often, this is due to corallivores, such as parrotfish, which excrete sand after digestion. However, the term "coral" in coral sand is used loosely in this sense to mean limestone of recent biological origin; corals are not the dominant contributors of sand particles to most such deposits. Rather, coral sand is a mix of coral and/or remnant skeletal fragments of foraminifera, calcareous algae, molluscs, and crustaceans. Because it is composed of limestone, coral sand is acid-soluble.
So, calcarenite is the lithified (hardened) form of coral sand.
FUN FACTS:
- Unlike ordinary quartz based sand, sand formed from coral, being white, does not heat up and therefore is comfortable to walk on even on the hottest day.
- Following this idea, the streets of small towns of the whole archipelago are not paved with tarmac. They are covered with white sand in order to decrease the ambience temperature. If the streets were paved, the temperature should be 4 to 5 degrees higher.
Photo Pinya3.
LOGGING TASKS:
- Have a look at the coral stones of the walls of the mosque and describe them (uniformity of colour, rough or smooth texture, ease of degradation...).
- Why this building was made of coral stone?
- Could this rock exist in a place situated at a very Northern latitude, e.g. seas surrounding Scandinavia? Bear in mind these facts: 1- Continental drift. 2-Time to create a sedimentary rock (tens of millions of years).
- Compulsory photo: Take a picture “in situ” and try to be creative. The place deserves it! Your nickname must appear in it to prove that you have been there. This is a mandatory requirement, and logs without this picture will be deleted without further advice.
Source: https://coralstonemosques.com/ www.wikipedia.com