Geology of Greece and Turkey: Potential Marble Source Regions

Abstract

Marble is a product of the medium to high grade metamorphism of carbonate sediments. Much limestone, both crystalline and otherwise that can take a high polish has been called marble, not only in modern commerce but also in the archaeological literature. Since (1) nearly all important Roman and Greek statuary and most monuments are made of marble, sensu strictu, (2) most limestone was quarried and only used locally, and (3) only marble was traded widely throughout classical Greece and Rome, this report, as this symposium, will be concerned only with marble.