3. Types of bitumen

3.1 Natural bitumen

Archaeological digs show that, millennia before the present day, natural bitumen, collected by man from the surface of the ground, was often mixed with mineral fines to form a bituminous mastic used as a sealant in buildings and hydraulic structures.

In Mesopotamia, natural bitumen and asphalt, combined with fibrous materials and minerals, were used to waterproof roof terraces and reservoirs, consolidate walls and seal stone slabs laid in streets [2] .

Bitumen exists in its natural state, and some deposits are still being exploited today.

• These are ancient oil deposits where the store...