Depending on what is burned to achieve it, the ash is similar to
diatomaceous earth, which is used for insect deterrent and barrier.
Diatomaceous earth has sharp silica crystals that cut the insect's
hard outer shell with hundreds of small piercings which kills them
because their insides become exposed to air and dry out. If the
insects breath in this fine ash, it also cuts their lung parts so
they suffocate. It is effective against moths, larvae, cockroaches,
and lots of insects that would get into grain and ruin it.
I would suggest that you check the composition of the ash to find out
what it is from - if there is a high concentration of silicate or
silicate-like compounds.
Diatomaceous earth has been well know for these properties since
antiquity.
Suzanne Jamison
928-652-3247
[log in to unmask]
If you have a problem on which a group of people is working and
everyone messes up just a little bit, it will come out perfectly.
Corollaries to Murphy's Law
On Jun 3, 2009, at 5:05 AM, Kim Vickers wrote:
Dear Lisa,
Ash has been used widely as a insecticide to deter insect storage
pests. See the
work of Eva Panagiotakopulu at Edinburgh for work on this and insect
pests in
ancient Egypt.
http://www.geos.ed.ac.uk/research/globalchange/group5b/QuatEnt/
page4.html
In particular the following paper is useful:
Panagiotakopulu, E. Buckland, P. C., Day, P., Sarpaki, A. & Doumas,
C. (1995)
Natural Insecticides and Insect Repellents in Antiquity: a Review of the
Evidence. Journal of Archaeological Science, 22, 705-710.
Hope that helps,
Kim
------------------------------
Kim Vickers
Department of Archaeology,
University of Sheffield,
Quoting Lisa Yeomans <[log in to unmask]>:
>
> Hi
> I was wondering if anyone had come across any evidence for the use
> of ash as
> a vermin deterrent. I'm trying to write-up a Old Kingdom building
> excavated
> in Egypt where ash had been laid in a large shallow cut below silos
> that
> where constructed on a thin layer of crushed limestone sealing the
> ash. A
> similar deposit of fine ash was placed in the gaps between adjacent
> abutting
> silo walls and the whole construction method appears to have been
> to surround
> as much of the silos as possible with ash. I found stuff on the
> internet
> about ash being a vermin deterrent but I am trying to find any other
> archaeological comparisons for this construction technique. Any
> help would be
> really useful, thanks, Lisa
>
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