2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

31
BCH Supplément 51 B U L L E T I N D E C O R R E S P O N D A N C E H E L L É N I Q U E ASMOSIA VII Actes du VII e colloque international de l’ASMOSIA Thasos 15-20 septembre 2003 Proceedings of the 7th International Conference of Association for the Study of Marble and Other Stones in Antiquity Thassos 15-20 september, 2003 Études réunies par Yannis MANIATIS

Transcript of 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

Page 1: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

BCHSupplément 51

B U L L E T I N D E C O R R E S P O N D A N C E H E L L É N I Q U E

ASMOSIA VI IActes du VIIe colloque international de l’ASMOSIA

Thasos 15-20 septembre 2003

Proceedings of the 7th International Conference ofAssociation for the Study of Marble and Other Stones in Antiquity

Thassos 15-20 september, 2003

Études réunies par Yannis MANIATIS

BCHSupplément

51

É C O L E F R A N Ç A I S E D ´ A T H È N E S

AS

MO

SIA

VII

Ce volume comprend les textes des communications d’ASMOSIA VII, 7e con-férence internationale de l’Association pour l’étude du marbre et des autres pierresdans l’Antiquité (Association for the Study of Marble and Other Stones in Anti-quity), qui s’est tenue dans l’île de Thasos, en Grèce. Les thèmes abordés dans cescommunications sont à la pointe du domaine interdisciplinaire où se rejoignent lascience, l’archéologie et l’histoire de l’art ; ils reflètent un large spectre de larecherche sur les pierres, depuis la carrière jusqu’au produit décoré dans son étatfinal. Les sujets plus particulièrement abordés sont les suivants : (1) Considérationsarchéologiques et emploi du marbre ; (2) Carrières, techniques d’extraction, géologie etpropriétés de la pierre ; (3) Identification de provenance et caractérisation : le marbre ;(4) Identification de provenance et caractérisation : autres pierres ; (5) Techniques etdéveloppements ; (6) Bases de données ; (7) Propriétés de la pierre – Vieillissement–Restauration et (8) Pigments et peintures sur marbre.

This book contains the papers submitted to ASMOSIA VII, which is the 7th In-ternational Conference of the Association for the Study of Marble and Other Stonesin Antiquity. The conference was held in the island of Thassos, Greece. The sub-jects of the papers represent the state-of-the-art in the interdisciplinary field ofScience and Archaeology and Art-History and reflect a very broad range ofresearch and applications on stone, from the quarry to the final decorated object.In particular, the subjects cover: (1) Archaeological considerations and use of marble,(2) Quarries, Quarrying Techniques, Geology and Stone properties, (3) ProvenanceIdentification and Characterisation: Marble, (4) Provenance Identification andCharacterisation: Other stones, (5) Techniques and Developments, (6) Databases,(7) Stone Properties – Weathering – Restoration and (8) Pigments and paintings onmarble.

BULLETIN DE CORRESPONDANCE HELLÉNIQUE, SUPPLÉMENTS

41. Les Italiens dans le monde grec (IIe siècle av. J.-C.-Ier siècle ap. J.-C.). Circulation, dénomination, intégration. Actes de la Table ronde organisée à l’École Normale Supérieure,Paris, 14-16 mai 1998, édités par Claire HASENOHR et Christel MÜLLER (2002).

42. Recherches franco-albanaise I. L’Albanie dans l’Europe préhistorique, Actes du colloque de Lorient organisé par l’École française d’Athènes et l’Université de Bretagne-Sud, Lorient8-10 juin 2000, édités par Gilles TOUCHAIS et Josette RENARD (2002).

43. Le Néolithique de Chypre, Actes du colloque international organisé par le Département des Antiquités deChypre et l’École française d’Athènes, Nicosie 17-19 mai 2001, édités par Jean GUILAINE et Alain LE BRUN, avec la collaboration d’Odile DAUNE-LE BRUN (2003).

44. Les Messéniens de 370/369 au Ier siècle de notre ère. Monnayage et histoire, par Catherine GRANDJEAN (2002).

45. La sculpture architecturale byzantine dans le thème de Nikopolis du Xe au début du XIIIe siècle (Épire et Étolie-Acarnanie et Sud de l’Albanie), par Catherine VANDERHEYDE (2005).

46. Mythos. La préhistoire égéenne du XIXe au XXIe siècle après J.-C. Actes de la table ronde internationaled’Athènes (21-23 novembre 2002), édités par Pascal DARCQUE, Michael FOTIADIS et Olga POLYCHRONOPOULOU (2006).

47. Études d’archéologie délienne, par Philippe BRUNEAU, Recueil d’articles rassemblés et indexés par Jean-Charles MORETTI (2006).

48. La sculpture des Cyclades à l’époque archaïque. Histoire des ateliers, rayonnement des styles, Actes du colloque international, organisé par l’Éphorie desAntiquités préhistoriques et classiques des Cyclades et l’École française d’Athènes (7-9 septembre 1998), édités par Y. KOURAYOS et Fr. PROST (2008).

49. La Sculpture Byzantine VIIe – XIIe siècle, Actes du colloque international, organisé par la 2e Éphorie des Antiquités byzantines et l’École française d’Athènes (6-8 septembre 2000),édités par Charalambos PENNAS et Catherine VANDERHEYDE (2008).

50. La gigantomachie de Pergame ou l’image du monde, par Françoise-Hélène MASSA-PAIRAULT (2007).

BCH suppl_51couverture 7/9/09 5:11 PM Page 1

Page 2: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

BCHSuppl51pdtitre 7/9/09 2:46 PM Page 1

Page 3: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

ASMOSIA VII

BCHSuppl51pdtitre 7/9/09 2:46 PM Page 3

Page 4: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

É C O L E F R A N Ç A I S E D ’ A T H È N E S

Directeur des publications : Dominique MulliezAdjointe aux publications : Catherine Aubert

Révision et mise au point des textes : Y. Maniatis

L’École française d’Athènes, qui a contribué à l’organisation de la rencontre ASMOSIA VII à Thasos, avec le centre Dimokritos, la18e éphorie des antiquités préhistoriques et classiques de Kavala et l’IGME, a pris en charge la totalité du coût de fabrication desactes dans sa collection, mais a autorisé à titre exceptionnel Yannis Maniatis à recourir aux normes éditoriales anglo-saxonnes.

Pré-presse et photogravure : EFA Velissarios Anagnostopoulos, Thymeli s.n.c.Coordination de la fabrication : EFA, Velissarios AnagnostopoulosImpression, reliure : Break In s.a.Conception graphique de la couverture : EFA, Velissarios Anagnostopoulos

Dépositaire : De Boccard Édition-Diffusion – 11, rue de Médicis, F – 75006 Paris, www.deboccard.com

© École française d’Athènes, 2009 – 6, rue Didotou, GR – 10680 Athènes, www.efa.gr

ISBN 978-2-86958-207-1

Reproduction et traduction, même partielles, interdites sans l’autorisation de l’éditeur pour tous pays, y compris les États-Unis.

BCHSuppl51pdtitre 7/9/09 2:46 PM Page 4

Page 5: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

BCHSupplément 51

B U L L E T I N D E C O R R E S P O N D A N C E H E L L É N I Q U E

ASMOSIA VIIActes du VIIe colloque international de l’ASMOSIA

Organisé par l'École française d'Athènes,

le National Center for Scientific Research “DIMOKRITOS”,

la 18e éphorie des antiquités préhistoriques et classiques (Kavala)

et l’Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration

Thasos, 15-20 septembre 2003

Proceedings of the 7th International Conference of

Association for the Study of Marble and Other Stones in Antiquity

organized by the French School of Athens,

the National Center for Scientific Research “DIMOKRITOS”,

the 18th Ephoreia of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities (Kavala)

and the Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration

Thassos, september 15-20, 2003

Études réunies par Yannis MANIATIS

BCHSuppl51pdtitre 7/9/09 2:46 PM Page 5

Page 6: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

BCHSuppl51pdtitre 7/9/09 2:46 PM Page 6

Page 7: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

BCH Suppl. 51

CONTENTS

Préface Yannis Maniatis .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. XIII-XVI

ABBREVIATIONS IN BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... XVII

SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY TALK

Ch. KOUKOULI-CHRYSANTHAKI and S. PAPADOPOULOS .................................................................................................................................................................................................1-18The island of Thassos and the Aegean in the Prehistory

PART I: ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS – USE OF MARBLE

Th. STEFANIDOU-TIVERIOU ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 19-29Thassian marble: A connection between Thassos and Thessaloniki

E.J. WALTERS .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 31-41Thassian Julius Caesar

G.E BORROMEO, J.J. HERRMANN, Jr. and N. HERZ ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 43-51Macedonian workmanship on a Thassian marble Hadrian in Providence?

J. C. FANT .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 53-57White marbles in the summer triclinium of the casa del Bracciale d’Oro, Pompeii

J.J. HERRMANN, Jr. and R.H. TYKOT ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 59-75Some products from the Dokimeion quarries: craters, tables, capitals and statues

P.A. BUTZ ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 77-87The Naxian Colossus at Delos: “Same Stone”

A. BETORI, M. GOMEZ SERITO and P. PENSABENE ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 89-102Investigation of marbles and stones used in Augustean monuments of western alpine provinces (Italy)

F. BIANCHI and M. BRUNO .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 103-111Flavian amphitheatre: The Cavea and the Portico; Comments about the quality, quantity and the

working of its marbles

O. PALAGIA, Y. MANIATIS, E. DOTSIKA and D. KAVOUSSANAKI ........................................................................................................................................................... 113-132New investigations on the pedimental sculptures of the “Hieron” of Samothrace: A preliminary report

V. GAGGADIS-ROBIN, Y. MANIATIS, C. SINTÈS, D. KAVOUSSANAKI and E. DOTSIKA ...................................................................................... 133-146Provenance investigation of some marble sarcophagi from Arles with stable isotope and maximum

grain sizes analysis

BCHSuppl_51_contensPreface 6/5/09 9:41 AM Page VII

Page 8: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

L. COOK and I. THOMAS ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 147-157Faustino Corsi and the coloured marbles of Derbyshire

F. VAN KEUREN, L.P. GROMET and N. HERZ .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 159-174Three mythological sarcophagi at the RISD Museum: Marble provenances and iconography

PART II: QUARRIES, QUARRYING TECHNIQUES, GEOLOGY AND STONE PROPERTIES

J.A. HARRELL ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 175-186The Bokari granodiorite quarry in Egypt’s eastern desert

E. BLOXAM, P. STOREMYR and T. HELDAL .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 187-201Hard stone quarrying in the Egyptian old Kingdom (3rd Millennium BC): rethinking the social or-

ganization

T. ENDO and S. NISHIMOTO ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 203-210The ancient Egyptian quarry at Dibabiya

D. KLEMM and R. KLEMM ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 211-225Pharaonic limestone quarries in Wadi Nakhla and Deir Abu Hennis, Egypt

T. HELDAL, P. STOREMYR, E. BLOXAM, I. SHAW, R. LEE and A. SALEM ....................................................................................................................................... 227-241GPS and GIS methodology in the mapping of Chephren’s quarry, Upper Egypt: a significant tool for

documentation and interpretation of the site

P. STOREMYR, T. HELDAL, E. BLOXAM and J.A. HARRELL ................................................................................................................................................................................. 243-256New evidence of small-scale Roman basalt quarrying in Egypt: Widan el Faras in the northern Faiyum

desert and Tilal Sawda by El-Minya

P. STOREMYR and T. HELDAL .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 257-271Ancient stone quarries: Vulnerable archaeological sites threatened by modern development

P. HADJIDAKIS, D. MATARANGAS and M. VARTI-MATARANGAS .............................................................................................................................................................. 273-288Ancient quarries in Delos, Greece

M. WURCH-KOZELJ et T. KOZELJ ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 289-307Quelques sarcophages rectangulaires d’époque impériale, des carrières thasiennes aux nécropoles de

Thasos

K. LASKARIDIS and V. PERDIKATSIS ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 309-317Characterisation of the timeless white marble and quarrying activity in Thassos

PART III: PROVENANCE IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERISATION (MARBLE)

F. GABELLONE, M.T. GIANNOTTA and A. ALESSIO ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 319-331The Torre Sgarrata wreck (South Italy): Marble artefacts in the cargo

BCH Suppl. 51

BCHSuppl_51_contensPreface 6/5/09 9:41 AM Page VIII

Page 9: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

A. CALIA, M.T. GIANNOTTA, L. LAZZARINI and G. QUARTA ...................................................................................................................................................................... 333-342The Torre Sgarrata wreck: Characterization and provenance of white marble artefacts in the cargo

D. ATTANASIO, S. KANE and N. HERZ ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 343-356New isotopic and EPR data for 22 sculptures from the extramural sanctuary of Demeter and

Persephone at Cyrene

D. ATTANASIO, G. MESOLELLA, P. PENSABENE, R. PLATANIA and P. ROCCHI .................................................................................................................. 357-369EPR and Petrographic provenance of the architectural white marbles of three buildings at Villa Adriana

T. CRAMER, K. GERMANN and W.–D. HEILMEYER ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 371-383Marble objects from Asia Minor in the Berlin collection of classical antiquities: stone characteristics

and provenance

M. BRUNO, C. GORGONI and P. PALLANTE ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 385-398On the provenance of white marbles used in the baths of Caracalla in Rome

M. FISCHER ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 399-412Marble from Pentelicon, Paros, Thasos and Proconnesus in ancient Israel: an attempt at a chronolog-

ical distinction

Y. MANIATIS, P. SOTIRAKOPOULOU, K. POLIKRETI, E. DOTSIKA and E. TZAVIDOPOULOS ........................................................................ 413-437The “Keros Hoard”: Provenance of the figurines and possible sources of marble in the Cyclades

Y. MANIATIS, S. PAPADOPOULOS, E. DOTSIKA, D. KAVOUSSANAKI and E. TZAVIDOPOULOS .............................................................. 439-449Provenance investigation of Neolithic marble vases from Limeraria, Thassos: Imported marble to

Thassos?

M. UNTERWURZACHER, H. STADLER and P. MIRWALD ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 451-458Provenance study of Roman marble artefacts of an excavation near Oberdrauburg (Carinthia, Austria)

L. LAZZARINI ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 459-484The distribution and re-use of the most important coloured marbles in the provinces of the Roman

Empire

M. MARIOTTINI, E. CURTI and E. MOSCETTI ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 485-493The taste of the marbles in Roman villae (Tiburtina-Nomentana)

L. LAZZARINI and S. CANCELLIERE .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 495-508Marmor Thessalicum (verde antico): Source, distribution and characterization

P. LAPUENTE, B. TURI and Ph. BLANC ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 509-522Marbles and coloured stones from the theatre of Caesaraugusta (Hispania): Preliminary study

R.H. TYKOT, G.E. BORROMEO, C. CORRADO-GOULET and K. SEVERSON ....................................................................................................................... 523-532Marble sculptures from the Rhode Island School of Design: Provenance studies using stable isotope

and other analysis

BCH Suppl. 51

BCHSuppl_51_contensPreface 6/5/09 9:41 AM Page IX

Page 10: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

J. J. HERRMANN, Jr., R. NEWMAN and A. VAN DEN HOEK ............................................................................................................................................................................... 533-545Identifying Dolomitic Marble 2000-2003: The Capitoline Museums, New York, and Somnus-

Hypnos in Urbisaglia

PART IV: PROVENANCE IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERISATION (OTHER STONES)

R. BUGINI and L. FOLLI ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 547-557On tesserae of Roman mosaics in Lombardy (Italy)

E. Roffia, R. Bugini and L. Folli .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 559-570Stone materials of the Roman villas around lake Garda (Italy)

P. DEGRYSE, P. MUCHEZ, E. TROGH and M. WAELKENS ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 571-580The natural building stones of Helenistic to Byzantine Sagalassos: Provenance determination through

stable isotope geochemistry

Ø.J. JANSEN, T. HELDAL, R.B. PEDERSEN, Y. RONEN and S.H.H. KALAND ...................................................................................................................... 581-595Provenance of soapstone used in medieval buildings in the Bergen region, Western Norway

B. MORONI, I. BORGIA, M. PETRELLI and P. LAPUENTE ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 597-613Archaeometry of chert tools: For a non-destructive geochemical approach

J. CASSAR .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 615-626Classifying Maltese prehistoric limestone megaliths by means of geochemical data

F. ANTONELLI, L. LAZZARINI, S. CANCELLIERE and A. SOLANO .............................................................................................................................................................. 627-643“Granito del Foro” and “Granito di Nicotera”: Archaeometric problems

O. ÖZBEK ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 645-656The prehistoric ground stone implements from Yartarla: The preliminary results of a geoarchaeolog-

ical study in Tekirdag region (Eastern Thrace)

S. CHLOUVERAKI and S. LUGLI ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 657-668Gypsum: A jewel in Minoan palatial architecture; Identification and characterization of its varieties

L. LAZZARINI and F. ATHANASIOU ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 669-676The discovery of the Greek origin of the “Breccia policroma della Vittoria”

PART V: TECHNIQUES AND DEVELOPMENTS

J. ZÖLDFÖLDI and Zs. KASZTOVSZKY .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 677-691Provenance study of Lapis Lazuli by non-destructive prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA)

F. BIRICOTTI and M. SEVERI ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 693-698A new non-destructive methodology for studying the internal structure of white marble of artistic and

archaeological interest

BCH Suppl. 51

BCHSuppl_51_contensPreface 6/5/09 9:41 AM Page X

Page 11: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

PART VI: DATABASES

S. PIKE ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 699-708A stable isotope database for the ancient white marble quarries of Mount Pentelikon, Greece

G. KOKKOROU-ALEVRAS, E. POUPAKI, A. CHATZICONSTANTINOU and A. EFSTATHOPOULOS ......................................................... 709-718Corpus of ancient Greek quarries

B. SZÉKELY and J. ZÖLDFÖLDI ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 719-734Fractal analysis and quantitative fabric analysis database of West Anatolian white marbles

PART VII: STONE PROPERTIES – WEATHERING – RESTORATION

A.TSIKOURAS, K. MIHOPOULOS, K. HATZIPANAGIOTOU and N. NINIS .................................................................................................................................. 735-743Correlations of mineralogy and physical properties for stones used in the building and the restoration

of the Asklepieion at Epidauros

I. PAPAYIANNI and M. STEFANIDOU ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 745-752Study of the behaviour of Serpentinite stones used for the construction of ancient Dioklitianoupoli in

Northern Greece

M. GREENHALGH .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 753-764Where have all the columns gone? The loss and reuse of antiquities in the Eastern Mediterranean

K. KOUZELI, and E. ZGOULETA ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 765-776Gypsum at the Minoan site of Knossos: Types and deterioration

L. GIORDANI, M. ODDONE, and S. MELONI .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 777-786Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis of the marble façade of the Certosa di Pavia: Materials

provenancing and problematics related to decay

K. POLIKRETI, and Y. MANIATIS .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 787-798Ionic and charge mobility on weathered marble surfaces, studied by EPR spectroscopy

PART VIII: PIGMENTS AND PAINTINGS ON MARBLE

B. BOURGEOIS and Ph. JOCKEY ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 799-809Polychrome Hellenistic sculpture in Delos: Research on surface treatments of ancient marble sculp-

ture - Part II

A. G. KARYDAS, H. BRECOULAKI, B. BOURGEOIS and Ph. JOCKEY .................................................................................................................................................... 811-829In-situ X-Ray Fluorescence analysis of raw pigments and traces of polychromy on Hellenistic sculpture

at the archaeological museum of Delos

BCH Suppl. 51

BCHSuppl_51_contensPreface 6/5/09 9:41 AM Page XI

Page 12: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

BCHSuppl_51_contensPreface 6/5/09 9:41 AM Page XII

Page 13: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

PRÉFACE

L’acronyme ASMOSIA désigne l’Association pour l’étude du marbre et autres pierres dans l’Antiquité(Association for the Study of Marble and Other Stones in Antiquity), fondée lors d’un atelier de recherche

avancée de l’OTAN qui s’est tenu à l’hôtel Il Ciocco, à Lucca, en Italie, du 9 au 13 mai 1988. L’atelier

était intitulé : Le marbre en Grèce ancienne et à Rome : Géologie, carrières, commerce et artefacts. Il fut

suivi par une cinquantaine de participants qui représentaient de nombreuses professions : des physi-

ciens, travaillant dans le domaine de l’archéométrie, des archéologues, des historiens de l’art et des

conservateurs. Il fut organisé par Marc Waelkens et Norman Herz avec le but affiché d’encourager les

projets associant scientifiques, historiens de l’art et autres pour une meilleure compréhension des ques-

tions relevant de l’usage de la pierre par les Anciens. À la suite de cet atelier, une série de rencontres

fut programmée tous les deux ans et demi environ : la seconde rencontre eut lieu du 16 au 20 octobre

1990 à Louvain, en Belgique ; la troisième du 17 au 19 mai 1993 à Athènes, en Grèce ; la quatrième

du 9 au 13 octobre 1995 à Bordeaux, en France ; la cinquième du 11 au 15 juin 1998 à Boston, aux

États-Unis ; la sixième du 15 au 18 juin 2000 à Venise, en Italie ; la septième du 15 au 20 septembre

2003 à Liménas, sur l’île de Thasos, en Grèce. Cette série de colloques fait partie intégrante de l’asso-

ciation ASMOSIA : ils ont pour objectif de promouvoir la collaboration entre les sciences, l’archéologie

et l’histoire de l’art pour une meilleure compréhension de l’exploitation, du transport, du traitement

et de l’emploi de la pierre brute dans l’Antiquité.

La publication des actes a été bien accueillie à la fois par les historiens de l’art, les archéologues et lacommunauté scientifique, comme par les corps de conservateurs; elle a contribué à susciter une coopé-

ration interdisciplinaire sans cesse élargie. Dans la mesure où, avant la création de l’association, cettecoopération était minimale, ce fut là, en fait, un progrès décisif. Pour la bonne organisation et la publi-

cation de ces rencontres, on a également eu la chance de bénéficier du soutien financier d’agences nationaleset internationales, comme la fondation Samuel H. Kress Foundation, l’OTAN, etc.

Le nombre de membres de l’association a plus que quadruplé, passant de 50 en 1988 à environ 250

aujourd’hui, représentant 25 pays. En dehors des actes de colloques, ASMOSIA publie également àraison de deux fois par an l’ASMOSIA Newsletter.

À ce jour, ce domaine de la recherche a fait preuve d’importantes avancées dans la mesure où les sourcesmatérielles dont on dispose pour l’usage du marbre et des autres pierres dans l’Antiquité ont été lar-gement étudiées et où les matériaux eux-mêmes ont fait l’objet de caractérisations géologiques et

physico-chimiques. Les bases de données avec leurs paramètres analytiques se sont développées et les

BCH Suppl. 51

BCHSuppl_51_contensPreface 6/5/09 9:41 AM Page XIII

Page 14: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

caractéristiques de différents types de pierres brutes se sont accumulées. Bien des problèmes archéolo-giques ou relevant de l’histoire de l’art trouvent désormais une meilleure réponse et une meilleure explicationpar le recours aux analyses scientifiques et aux bases de données, qu’il s’agisse de la provenance, de l’iden-tification, de la diffusion, du traitement, des assemblages et de la préservation d’importants artefacts.

Le 7e colloque international de l’association ASMOSIA s’est tenu à Liménas, la ville principale et leport de l’île de Thasos, en Grèce. Il a été organisé par le laboratoire d’archéométrie-NCSR « Demokritos »,l’École française d’Athènes, la 18e éphorie des antiquités préhistoriques et classiques, l’IGME (Institute

of Geology and Mineral Exploration). Le comité d’organisation, composé de Y. Maniatis, K. Polikreti,Z. Bonias, S. Papadopoulos, T. Kozelj, M. Wurch-Kozelj et M. Varti-Mataranga, tient à adresser ses

remerciements à la Municipalité de Thasos qui a mis à disposition la salle de conférences du « Kalogeriko »

et a tout mis en œuvre pour faciliter le bon déroulement du colloque, le ministère grec de la culture

et le ministère grec de l’Égée ainsi que l’Association des entreprises du marbre de Thrace et de Macédoine

pour leur soutien financier.

Ce volume réunit les contributions présentées au 7e colloque international de l’association ASMOSIA.

Les thèmes abordés dans ces communications sont à la pointe du domaine interdisciplinaire où se rejoi-

gnent les sciences, l’archéologie et l’histoire de l’art ; ils reflètent un large spectre de la recherche poursuivie

sur les pierres grâce à la coopération des sciences et des humanités. En particulier, les thèmes abordés

recouvrent presque tous les aspects qui concernent la pierre depuis la carrière jusqu’au produit décoré

dans son état final, sans exclure les questions du vieillissement et de la restauration.

Tous les textes soumis pour publication dans ces actes ont fait l’objet d’une révision attentive par un

ou plusieurs réviseurs, ce qui en garantit le haut niveau, le caractère innovant et la portée scientifique.

En la matière, nous exprimons nos sincères remerciements aux membres du comité exécutif de l’asso-

ciation ASMOSIA, N. Herz, L. Lazzarini, P. Storemyr, J.J. Herrmann Jr., Ph. Jockey, S. Kane, J. Harrell,

ainsi qu’aux members du comité scientifique du colloque qui ont apporté leur concours à la difficile

révision des textes présentés dans ce volume.

En outre, nous voulons remercier V. Zatta, secrétaire de l’Institute of Materials Science-NCSR

« Demokritos » pour son aide dans le traitement des actes et les étudiants-chercheurs du laboratoired’archéométrie-NCSR « Demokritos » D. Tambakopoulos et M. Maniati pour leur aide dans l’orga-

nisation et la relecture des épreuves.

Nous tenons aussi à exprimer notre plus profonde gratitude à l’École française d’Athènes et, en parti-

culier, à son directeur, le professeur D. Mulliez : l’École française d’Athènes, en effet, a supporté latotalité du coût de fabrication et du travail de publication des actes dans le Supplément 51 du Bulletinde Correspondance Hellénique. Nos remerciements vont également à Sandrine Huber, ancienne adjointeaux publications de l’École française d’Athènes, et à Catherine Aubert, qui lui a succédé à ce poste,

pour la part qu’elles ont prise dans l’élaboration de la publication.

Yannis Maniatis

Président de l’association ASMOSIA

BCH Suppl. 51

BCHSuppl_51_contensPreface 6/5/09 9:41 AM Page XIV

Page 15: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

PREFACE

ASMOSIA stands for the Association for the Study of Marble and Other Stones in Antiquity and was

founded at a NATO sponsored Advanced Research Workshop held at Il Ciocco, Lucca, Italy, 9-13 May,

1988. The Workshop was entitled, “Marble in Ancient Greece and Rome: Geology, Quarries, Commerce,

Artifacts” and was attended by fifty persons representing many varied professions: physical scientists

working in Archaeometry, archaeologists, art historians, and conservators. It was organized by Marc

Waelkens and Norman Herz with the avowed goal of encouraging collaborative projects among sci-

entists, art historians and others in order to better understand the problems associated with ancient

man’s use of stone. Following that a series of meetings were held scheduled approximately every two

and a half year: the second meeting was held October 16-20, 1990 in Leuven, Belgium; the third May

17-19, 1993, in Athens, Greece; the fourth October 9-13, 1995 in Bordeaux, France; the fifth June

11-15, 1998, in Boston, USA; the sixth June 15-18, 2000 in Venice, Italy; and the seventh in September

15-20, 2003 at Limenas on the Island of Thassos, Greece. These series of conferences form an integral

part of the Association for the Study of Marble and Other Stones Used in Antiquity (ASMOSIA) and

their aim is to promote the combined scientific, archaeological and art-historical research for a better

understanding of the exploration, transportation, treatment and use of stone raw materials in Antiquity.

The publications of the proceedings have been well received by both the art historical, archaeological,

and scientific, as well as museum communities and have helped to inspire an ever increasing interdis-

ciplinary cooperation. Since previous to ASMOSIA, such cooperation was minimal, this has indeed

been a great accomplishment. We have also been fortunate in receiving financial support for our meetingsand publications from national and international agencies, such as the Samuel H. Kress Foundation,

NATO etc.

Membership in ASMOSIA has grown over four-fold, from under 50 in 1988 to about 250 now andrepresenting 25 countries. Publications apart from the conference proceedings include the currently

twice-yearly ASMOSIA Newsletter.

Today, the field has witnessed important advances as the raw material sources for marble and otherstones used in Antiquity have been studied to a great extend and the materials have been characterised

geologically and physicochemically. The databases with analytical parameters have been expanding andexperience with the characteristics of different types of raw stone materials has been accumulating. Many

archaeological and art-historical problems can now be better resolved and explained using the advancedscientific methods and databases. Such problems may be related to provenance, identification, movement,

treatment, assemblages and preservation of important artifacts.

BCH Suppl. 51

BCHSuppl_51_contensPreface 6/5/09 9:41 AM Page XV

Page 16: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

The 7th International ASMOSIA Conference was held at Limenas, the main town and harbour of theisland of Thassos, Greece. It was organized by the Laboratory of Archaeometry-NCSR “Demokritos”,the French School at Athens, the 18th Ephoreia of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities and the Institute

of Geology and Mineral Exploration. The Organizing Committee, Y. Maniatis, K. Polikreti, Z. Bonias,S. Papadopoulos, T. Kozelj, M. Wurch-Kozelj and M. Varti-Mataranga would like to thank and

acknowledge the Municipal Authorities of Thassos for providing the Conference building “Kalogeriko”

and all the necessary facilities in order to make this Conference possible, the financial support of the

Greek Ministry of Culture, the financial support of the Greek Ministry of the Aegean and the financial

support of the Association of Marble Enterprises of Macedonia and Thrace.

This book contains the papers submitted to the 7th International ASMOSIA Conference. The sub-

jects of the papers represent the state-of-the art in the field and reflect a very broad range of research

and applications carried out in cooperation between the sciences and the humanities. In particular, the

subjects cover almost everything on stone from the quarry to the final decorated object, including even

aspects of weathering and restoration.

All the papers submitted for publication in these proceedings went under a peer reviewing process by

one or more reviewers. This guarantees that the papers published in this volume are of high standards,

innovative and scientifically sound.

For this, we expresses his sincere thanks to the Executive Committee of ASMOSIA, N. Herz, L. Lazzarini,

P. Storemyr, J.J. Herrmann Jr., Ph. Jockey, S. Kane, J. Harrell, and the Scientific Committee of the

Conference and also to other professional colleagues who helped with the difficult task of reviewing

the papers presented in this volume.

In addition, we want to thank Mrs V. Zatta, the Secretary of the Institute of Materials Science of NCSR“Demokritos” for her help in processing the proceedings and the research students of the Laboratory

of Archaeometry-NCSR “Demokritos” Mr. D. Tambakopoulos and Mrs. M. Maniati for their help inorganising and proof readings of the papers.

We also expresses his deepest gratitude to the French School at Athens and particularly to its Directorprof. D. Mulliez for undertaking the full cost and effort of publication of the proceedings as Supplement 51

of the Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique. Thanks are also due to Mrs. S. Huber, former publicationofficer of the French School, and Mrs. C. Aubert, present publication officer, for organizing the pub-

lication.

Yannis Maniatis

Current President of ASMOSIA

BCH Suppl. 51

BCHSuppl_51_contensPreface 6/5/09 9:41 AM Page XVI

Page 17: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

BCH Suppl. 51

MARMOR THESSALICUM (verde antico):

SOURCE, DISTRIBUTION AND CHARACTERIZATION

L. LAZZARINI and S. CANCELLIERE

Laboratorio di Analisi dei Materiali Antichi, Dip. di Storia dell’Architettura, I.U.A.V., Venezia, Italy

ABSTRACT

Marmor thessalicum and Lapis Atracius were names of geographic origin given by the Romans to a beautifulgreen breccia named verde antico during the Italian Renaissance. This stone was first introduced into Rome inHadrian’s times for columns, facing slabs, tubs, etc., and soon became the most important green stone ofRoman antiquity. Later in the Byzantine period it was also worked for sarcophagi, whole iconostasis, and bap-tismal fonts. Its extensive primary use, and the medieval re-use of spolia, gave rise to its almost ubiquitousdistributions in all Mediterranean countries. Both ancient and modern quarries of verde antico are situated onthe slopes of Mount Mopsion, close to the village of Chasabali, in the province of Larisa (Thessaly). The verdeantico formation belongs to a large ophiolitic complex of Upper Jurassic age. This paper provides a thoroughminero-petrographic and chemical analysis of its various facies in order to characterize and distinguish themfrom the similar verde di Tino from the Marlas area on the island of Tinos, Cyclades. Marmor Thessalicum is anophicarbonate breccia composed of black-to-green antigorite and white-calcite clasts in a greenish matrixformed by a mixture of these two minerals. Accessory minerals are magnetite, chromite, tremolite and as-bestos.

KEYWORDS: MARMOR THESSALICUM, VERDE ANTICO, HISTORY, SOURCE, CHARACTERISA-TION, ARCHAEOMETRY

INTRODUCTION

It was in Greece that the Romans found some of the most beautiful coloured stones they usedto decorate their private and public buildings. Among these is what they called marmor thes-salicum or lapis atracius, (the name comes from Thessaly the region where the quarries were

36_BCHSuppl_51 5/29/09 10:48 AM Page 495

Page 18: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

BCH Suppl. 51

496 L. LAZZARINI and S. CANCELLIERE

sited, and from Atrax, the town closest to them). This white and black mottled green breccia(fig. 1) named verde antico by the Roman marble cutters of the Renaissance/Baroque period.The green colour is mostly due to the matrix of the rock, of a light-to-average dark tonality,but it often features darker colours in some elements of the breccia, which may be of varioushues from emerald-green to black and of dimensions varying from a few mm to more than onemeter. The white elements are of a pure colour and of much smaller size, seldom reaching 20-30 cm across. Gray or red-coloured clasts are much more rare and of a centimetric size. Thesemacroscopic features are quite similar to those of verde di Tinos, a typical ophicalcite also quar-ried in Roman times at Marlas, the N-W part of the island of Tinos (Greece) (LAZZARINI 2002and 2007).

As far as we know (GNOLI 1988), verde antico was introduced in Rome in Hadrianic times: theoldest monument where it has been in fact identified is Villa Adriana at Tivoli. It soon becamevery popular for facing slabs and columns in most of the Roman provinces. Examples of largeslabs are found in the Hadrianic Baths of Leptis Magna (fig. 2), and of columns, the four thatonce stood in the Arch of Marcus Aurelius in Rome, which we know from documents was de-molished in 1662 by order of Pope Alexander VII: two of these columns are now in the Church

Fig. 1. — Typical macroscopic aspect of verde antico (sample # 1.1).

36_BCHSuppl_51 5/29/09 10:48 AM Page 496

Page 19: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

MARMOR THESSALICUM (verde antico): SOURCE, DISTRIBUTION AND CHARACTERISATION 497

BCH Suppl. 51

of St. Agnese, and two in the Corsini Chapel at S Giovanni in Laterano. This stone was evenmore quarried and used in Byzantine time when it replaced the red porphyry for imperial sar-cophagi, and was widely used for columns in some of the most renowned basilicas such as theAghias Sophias of Constantinople and of Thessaloniki, St.John of Ephesus, the B-basilica ofPhilippi (fig. 3), etc. Other uses of this period included altar tabletops and baptismal fonts,sometimes classified as re-uses of ancient artifacts. Such re-utilisation started in fact after thefall of the Roman Empire in the Eastern and Western provinces. In the former the Arabs ap-preciated coloured marbles and used them in the most important mosques. Columns of verdeantico are present for example, in the Omayad mosque of Damascus (fig. 4), in that of theDome on the Rock of Jerusalem, and in several others, like the Hassan mosque in Cairo. Someare also present in the cathedrals of Canosa and Gerace (South Italy), and many in the basil-icas of Rome (for ex. in S.Giovanni in Laterano) and Venice (St.Mark’s). Re-use also continuedafter the Middle Age throughout the Renaissance and Baroque periods when the shortage ofancient pieces forced Italian architects to search for substitution stones on the Western Alps,in Liguria and Calabria. Verde antico was newly quarried from the sixties to the eighties of thelast century; it is now out of fashion and only seldom exploited.

Fig. 2. — Leptis Magna (Lybia), Hadrian’ baths, large slabs of verde antico facing the floor.

36_BCHSuppl_51 5/29/09 10:48 AM Page 497

Page 20: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

BCH Suppl. 51

498 L. LAZZARINI and S. CANCELLIERE

3

4

Fig. 3. — Philippi (Greece), Basilica ‘B, columns of verde antico.Fig. 4. — Damascus (Syria), Omayad Mosque, courtyard, small columns of verde antico and cipollinorosso.

36_BCHSuppl_51 5/29/09 10:48 AM Page 498

Page 21: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

BCH Suppl. 51

The importance and popularity of our stone is well shown by a distribution map (fig. 5) madefrom more than 6000 records of the presence of ancient coloured stones in some 400 differentancient sites (LAZZARINI 2009). From this map it is evident that the primary use of verde an-tico was concentrated in Central Mediterranean, mainly Italy and North Africa, but also inseveral Greek sites, and spread all over the Roman provinces reaching places very far awayfrom its quarries such as Tyrus, now Tyre, (Phoenicia) in the East, Colonia Lindum (Lincoln)(Britannia) in the North, or Italica (Iberia), in the West. The largest numbers of re-uses are inItaly, Greece and Asia Minor.

ANCIENT QUARRIES

The ancient and modern quarries of verde antico are located some 10 km NE of the town ofLarisa, the capital of Thessaly (Greece), not far from the village of Chasabali which remainsimmediately to the south: they were firstly and carefully studied by I. Papageorgakis (PAPA-GEORGAKIS 1963). The quarries are open on the northen and southern slopes of the western

Fig. 5. — Map with the distribution of verde antico in the Mediterranean area: see the relevant paperby L. Lazzarini in this volume for the identification of the sites.

MARMOR THESSALICUM (verde antico): SOURCE, DISTRIBUTION AND CHARACTERISATION 499

36_BCHSuppl_51 5/29/09 10:48 AM Page 499

Page 22: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

BCH Suppl. 51

500 L. LAZZARINI and S. CANCELLIERE

part of ancient Mount Mopsion (fig. 6) which is not formed by a unique peak, but by a seriesof low hills protruding from a wide plain. In the northern areas, modern wire-cutting ex-ploitation has destroyed most traces of ancient quarrying, but these, are very well preserved inthe southern sites. There, one can still see the organisation of the quarrying activity, with var-ious extraction sites connected by ancient roads (fig. 7), often with high quarry fronts (fig. 8),or with loci showing the typical stepped shapes and nice traces of the Roman heavy pick. Un-usually rare are wedge-holes and abandoned blocks or unfinished column shafts. The latter areprobably covered by the many ancient, sometimes wide and thick, deposits of debris that arescattered all around the quarries, and offer direct evidence of the very large amount of rock re-moved in antiquity.

Fig. 6. — Map of the quarry area of verde antico.

36_BCHSuppl_51 5/29/09 10:48 AM Page 500

Page 23: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

BCH Suppl. 51

Fig. 7. — View on the ancient quarries on the southern slopes of Mount Mopsion.

MARMOR THESSALICUM (verde antico): SOURCE, DISTRIBUTION AND CHARACTERISATION 501

Fig. 8. — A well-preserved front of a Byzantine quarry visible on the left of fig.7.

36_BCHSuppl_51 5/29/09 10:48 AM Page 501

Page 24: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

BCH Suppl. 51

502 L. LAZZARINI and S. CANCELLIERE

GEOLOGICAL SETTING

Mount Mopsion belongs to the large mountain range of Mount Olympos-Mount Ossa-Mount Pelion forming a Neogene horst between the grabens of Larisa to the west, and that ofthe Thermaikos to the east (HIGGINS and HIGGINS 1996). All formations of these areas are in-cluded in the Pelagonian Zone of the Hellenides. Those of Mount Ossa are characterised bymarble and schist on the upper part, and by a well known ophiolitic complex in the low landstowards south and west. This complex has been well mapped in the “Platycampos Sheet” ofIGME (The Hellenic Geological Institute) by Greek geologists (KATSIKATSOS et al. 1981).The breccia occupies the upper part of the metamorphic complex, tentatively dated to theUpper Cretaceous that is formed of a slightly metamorphic flysch overlying the so-called Ayamarbles and our breccia called “the ophiolitic transgressive breccia of Omorphochorion”. Themaximum thickness of this breccia has been estimated to 150 m. Below the breccia are ser-pentinites, metamorphic basic rocks and metasediments.

SCIENTIFIC CHARACTERIZATION AND DISCUSSION OF THE RESULTS

More than 30 samples were collected from a dozen of ancient quarries. 18 were selected for themicroscopic study in thin section and powder X-Ray diffraction (CuKa/Ni at 30 KV, 20 mA):the latter was also performed on several samples after chemical attack with diluted HCl to re-move calcite and separation of magnetite with a magnet. The same amount of samples studiedunder the polarising microscope was subjected to chemical analysis by ICP-AES: only themain and minor elements were quantitatively determined. 10 samples of whole rock and ofsingle components (element or matrix) were finally analysed with a Hg-porosimeter tomeasure the main porosimetric parameters of the rock. The microscopic study and chemicalanalysis were extended to 3 samples of verde di Tinos from the most ancient quarries visible atMarlas, with the purpose of checking the possibility of distinguishing this stone from verdeantico on a laboratory basis.

The microscopic study of verde antico and the diffractometric analyses enabled determinationof its minero-petrographic features as follows:

– The fabric is conglomeratic/micro-conglomeratic (fig. 9) and formed by serpentinic andmarble elements in a matrix composed of a mixture of these two components.

– The macroscopically black/dark green serpentinic elements are mainly of small antigoritecrystals forming a felt-like or interlocked fabrics. Veins filled with antigorite crystals grownperpendicularly to the walls of the vein are also quite common

– The macroscopically white marble elements are composed of recrystallised calcite oftenforming a heteroblastic fabric with xenoblasts reaching a MGS of 2 mm.

– The matrix is formed by calcite mixed with antigorite, and contains more or less abundantand disperded particles/isomorphous opaque crystals of magnetite (fig. 10). This mineralis often deteriorated along its boundaries into yellow-brown limonite, which is also

36_BCHSuppl_51 5/29/09 10:48 AM Page 502

Page 25: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

BCH Suppl. 51

forming patinas and colouring the two main minerals. Sometimes present in the matrixare needles of tremolite (fig. 10). The matrix shows macroscopically different hues ofgreen depending (as it clear appears under the microscope) on the proportion calcite-to-antigorite, the former mineral “diluting” the deep green colour of the second.

Verde antico has sometimes been referred to as an ophicalcite (GNOLI 1988), but its correctclassification according to the description reported above is as an ophicarbonate metacon-glomerate.

The chemical analysis of the rock is reported in Table 1. From the data, it is evident that Si,Ca, Mg and Fe are the main elements composing verde antico. SiO2 varies from 11 to 40 %,CaO from 5 to 40 %, MgO from 11 to 34 %, Fe2O3 from 2 to 8 %. Small amounts of Al andof Mn complete the overall composition. It is therefore evident that this ophicarbonatebreccia, is a rock formed by serpentinisation of ultramafic rocks crushed by tectonisation andmixed with limestone fragments and permeated by calcareous solutions; the breccia then un-derwent an average-grade metamorphism in an ocean floor environment.

Fig. 9. — Photomicrograph of the thin section of sample VA 12.1 showing a micro-brecciated fabricformed by clasts of antigorite (dark grey) and marble (white) in a mixed matrix. N+, 32 X.Fig. 10. — Photomicrograph as above of magnetite (black) and tremolite crystals in the matrix of sam-ple VA 3.3. N+, 64 X.

9 10

MARMOR THESSALICUM (verde antico): SOURCE, DISTRIBUTION AND CHARACTERISATION 503

36_BCHSuppl_51 5/29/09 10:48 AM Page 503

Page 26: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

BCH Suppl. 51

504 L. LAZZARINI and S. CANCELLIERE

Table 1: Chemical analysis of verde antico (VA) and of verde di Tinos (VT); <l.d= value below detection limit.

N° camp SIO2 Al2O3 Fe2O2 MnO MgO CaO Na2O K2O TiO2 P2O5 P.F. TotaleVA %p %p %p %p %p %p %p %p %p %p %p %p

1-2 30.50 0.72 8.11 0.09 29.09 13.00 <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. 0.06 18.41 99.981-3 15.30 0.34 2.51 0.06 13.73 36.53 <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. 31.84 100.313-1 13.91 0.55 2.18 0.07 12.37 38.07 <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. 32.99 100.143-2 25.08 0.83 6.73 0.08 22.87 21.27 <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. 23.24 100.103-3 28.11 0.78 4.80 0.07 26.01 18.45 <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. 22.12 100.346-2 23.27 0.72 5.29 0.05 21.31 24.29 <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. 25.08 100.016-3 23.43 0.65 4.63 0.05 21.47 24.17 <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. 25.35 99.757-1 23.54 1.27 4.70 0.05 20.55 24.51 <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. 25.28 99.908-1 20.37 0.80 4.87 0.07 18.50 27.58 <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. 27.37 99.568-2 39.69 1.10 7.16 0.10 33.81 5.54 <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. 12.74 100.148-4 20.66 0.67 4.29 0.06 18.87 28.18 <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. 27.41 100.149-1 21.19 0.74 4.74 0.06 20.07 26.78 <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. 26.75 100.339-2 27.71 0.88 6.34 0.08 25.99 17.98 <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. 21.34 100.3211-2 11.84 0.35 2.65 0.05 11.23 39.68 <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. 34.47 100.2711-3 32.03 0.77 5.93 0.08 30.56 12.32 <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. 18.57 100.2612-1 23.12 0.75 4.37 0.06 21.55 24.46 <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. 25.69 100.0012-2 19.27 0.63 3.52 0.07 18.45 29.39 <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. 28.58 99.9113-1 20.23 0.64 3.94 0.07 19.09 28.04 <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. <l.d. 27.67 99.68Aver. 23,29 0,73 4,82 0,07 21,42 24,46 25,27 100,06Std. D 6,74 0,22 1,60 0,01 6,02 8,92 5,39 0,23VT 1 20.32 1.00 6.44 0.10 16.54 28.16 <l.d <l.d <l.d <l.d. 26.94 99.5VT 2 29.06 0.64 4.74 0.34 18.27 25.13 <l.d <l.d <l.d <l.d 21.72 99.9VT 3 31.30 0.61 9.52 0.09 26.90 13.20 0.06 <l.d <l.d 0.08 17.60 99.30

36_BCHSuppl_51 5/29/09 10:48 AM Page 504

Page 27: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

BCH Suppl. 51

Table 2: Density and porosity values of the examined samples.

Sample Apparent density Bulk density Porosity(g/cm3) (g/cm3) (%)

VA3.3 2.77 2.73 1.55whole

VA3.1 2.69 2.64 1.90whole

VA1.2 2.74 2.73 0.37 black clast

VA8.2 2.98 2.93 1.93black clast

VA3.2 2.75 2.73 0.78black clast

VA4.8 2.66 2.62 1.65green clast

VA3.3 2.72 2.64 3.12white clast

VA1.2 2.72 2.66 2.25matrix

VA4.1 2.69 2.61 3.09matrix

VA4.1 2.75 2.68 2.60matrix

The Table 2 and Figure 11 report the porosimetric data and related density values. As regardsthis very last parameter, the average bulk density for the whole rock is around 2.7, a bit vari-able for the clasts; higher for some black clasts, reaching a maximum of 2.93. The porosity ofthe whole rock is 1.9 %, higher than that of the values of the single black clasts (av.p.1%), butlower than the other components, the matrix (av. p. 2.64 %) the green clasts (1.65 %) and thewhite clasts (3.12 %), which seem to be the more porous of the components. The typical pore-size distributions shown in Fig.11 indicate an even distribution of the small porosity for thewhole rock, with an almost equal amount of pores with radiuses varying from 0.01 to 1 mi-crometer, and pores with 1-10 μ. Black clasts show a more dispersed pattern, with a tendencytowards more pores in the range1-10 μ; green clasts mostly show a bi-modal behaviour, with alarger amount of fine pores (< 1 μ); the white marble clasts, finally, show a concentration ofpores around 1 μ. Overall, verde antico is thus a rather compact material with a relativelyfavourable distribution of pores.

MARMOR THESSALICUM (verde antico): SOURCE, DISTRIBUTION AND CHARACTERISATION 505

36_BCHSuppl_51 5/29/09 10:48 AM Page 505

Page 28: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

BCH Suppl. 51

506 L. LAZZARINI and S. CANCELLIERE

THE ARCHAEOMETRIC PROBLEMS

As mentioned above, verde antico may be confused with verde di Tinos and sometimes withrare brecciated varieties of verde di Varallo, a green stone (ophicalcite) still quarried in theItalian Western Alps. Of these latter two materials, only the first was used in antiquity (thesecond was used from the late Renaissance- Baroque periods onwards), so petrographic and

Fig. 11. —Cumulative volume of pores in mm3 versus pore radius distribution (in micrometers andin logaritmic scale) of whole rock and single clasts of verde antico.

36_BCHSuppl_51 5/29/09 10:48 AM Page 506

Page 29: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

BCH Suppl. 51

chemical analyses for comparison were made on only 3 samples collected from ancient quar-ries NE of Marlas on the island of Tinos. The results show that the Tinian green is a trueophicalcite essentially composed of antigorite and calcite with magnetite as the main acces-sory mineral. The microscopic fabric differs from verde antico since it is not microbrecciatedbut characterised by an intimate mixture of the two essential minerals. Its chemical composi-tion is shown in Table 1: comparison with the results of verde antico do not show the possibilityof a clear distinction of the two green stones based on the chemical analysis of the main com-ponents. This is confirmed also by plotting the results of the major elements on aSiO2-CaO-MgO triangular diagram (fig. 12). The possibility of a separation of the two mar-bles may rely on trace elements and C &O stable isotope ratios measurements on thecarbonatic fractions of the rocks that will be done in a future research. For the time being, ob-servation of the macroscopic features of the green marble from Tinos in the wide cuts of themodern quarries and in a large number of polished slabs ready for sale, has shown that brec-ciation in it is quite rare, and occurs only on a small scale. The rock is also lacking whitemarble clasts, being mostly characterised by white veins of calcite: these features seems fornow to be quite distinctive for a first macroscopic identification of the two marbles.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors are grateful to the Ephoreia of Classical Antiquities of Larisa for having kindly authorised samplesto be taken from the ancient quarries, and to Dr. Dionysis Matarangas of IGME, Athens, for providing geo-logical information and documentation.

MARMOR THESSALICUM (verde antico): SOURCE, DISTRIBUTION AND CHARACTERISATION 507

Fig. 12. — Plot of the chemical analysis of verde antico and verde di Tino in the CaO-MgO-SIO2.

36_BCHSuppl_51 5/29/09 10:48 AM Page 507

Page 30: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

508 L. LAZZARINI and S. CANCELLIERE

BIBLIOGRAPHY

GNOLI, R., 1988, Marmora Romana, L’Elefante, II ed., Roma.

HIGGINS, M., and HIGGINS, R., 1996, A geological companion to Greece and the Aegean, Duckworth,London.

KATSIKATSOS, G., VIDAKIS, M., MIGIROS, G., and PAPAZETI, E., 1981, Platycampos Sheet, GeologicalMap of Greece, 1:50.000, IGME, Athens.

LAZZARINI, L., 2002, “I marmi colorati usati dai Romani: verde antico, marmor thessalicum, marmoratracium”, in M.DE NUCCIO and L.UNGARO (eds), I marmi colorati della Roma Imperiale,Marsilio, Padova, pp. 261-262.

LAZZARINI, L., 2007, Poikiloi Lithoi, Versiculores Maculae: I marmi colorati della Grecia antica, FabrizioSerra Editore, Pisa-Roma, pp. 223-244.

LAZZARINI, L., 2009, “The distribution and re-use of the most important coloured marbles in theprovinces of the Roman Empire” in Y. MANIATIS (ed.), ASMOSIA VII, The Study of Marbleand Other Stones in Antiquity – Proceedings of the 7 th International Conference of the Associ-ation for the Study of Marble and Other Stones in Antiquity, BCH Suppl., 51, pp. 459-484.

PAPAGEORGAKIS, I.,1963, «T· ·Ú¯·›· Ï·ÙÔÌ›· Ù˘ £ÂÛÛ·Ï›·˜», ¶Ú·ÎÙÈο Aη‰ËÌ›·˜ AıËÓÒÓ, 38,pp. 564-572.

36_BCHSuppl_51 5/29/09 10:48 AM Page 508

Page 31: 2009_Marmor_Thessalicum

BCHSupplément 51

B U L L E T I N D E C O R R E S P O N D A N C E H E L L É N I Q U E

ASMOSIA VI IActes du VIIe colloque international de l’ASMOSIA

Thasos 15-20 septembre 2003

Proceedings of the 7th International Conference ofAssociation for the Study of Marble and Other Stones in Antiquity

Thassos 15-20 september, 2003

Études réunies par Yannis MANIATIS

BCHSupplément

51

É C O L E F R A N Ç A I S E D ´ A T H È N E SA

SM

OS

IA V

II

Ce volume comprend les textes des communications d’ASMOSIA VII, 7e con-férence internationale de l’Association pour l’étude du marbre et des autres pierresdans l’Antiquité (Association for the Study of Marble and Other Stones in Anti-quity), qui s’est tenue dans l’île de Thasos, en Grèce. Les thèmes abordés dans cescommunications sont à la pointe du domaine interdisciplinaire où se rejoignent lascience, l’archéologie et l’histoire de l’art ; ils reflètent un large spectre de larecherche sur les pierres, depuis la carrière jusqu’au produit décoré dans son étatfinal. Les sujets plus particulièrement abordés sont les suivants : (1) Considérationsarchéologiques et emploi du marbre ; (2) Carrières, techniques d’extraction, géologie etpropriétés de la pierre ; (3) Identification de provenance et caractérisation : le marbre ;(4) Identification de provenance et caractérisation : autres pierres ; (5) Techniques etdéveloppements ; (6) Bases de données ; (7) Propriétés de la pierre – Vieillissement–Restauration et (8) Pigments et peintures sur marbre.

This book contains the papers submitted to ASMOSIA VII, which is the 7th In-ternational Conference of the Association for the Study of Marble and Other Stonesin Antiquity. The conference was held in the island of Thassos, Greece. The sub-jects of the papers represent the state-of-the-art in the interdisciplinary field ofScience and Archaeology and Art-History and reflect a very broad range ofresearch and applications on stone, from the quarry to the final decorated object.In particular, the subjects cover: (1) Archaeological considerations and use of marble,(2) Quarries, Quarrying Techniques, Geology and Stone properties, (3) ProvenanceIdentification and Characterisation: Marble, (4) Provenance Identification andCharacterisation: Other stones, (5) Techniques and Developments, (6) Databases,(7) Stone Properties – Weathering – Restoration and (8) Pigments and paintings onmarble.

BULLETIN DE CORRESPONDANCE HELLÉNIQUE, SUPPLÉMENTS

41. Les Italiens dans le monde grec (IIe siècle av. J.-C.-Ier siècle ap. J.-C.). Circulation, dénomination, intégration. Actes de la Table ronde organisée à l’École Normale Supérieure,Paris, 14-16 mai 1998, édités par Claire HASENOHR et Christel MÜLLER (2002).

42. Recherches franco-albanaise I. L’Albanie dans l’Europe préhistorique, Actes du colloque de Lorient organisé par l’École française d’Athènes et l’Université de Bretagne-Sud, Lorient8-10 juin 2000, édités par Gilles TOUCHAIS et Josette RENARD (2002).

43. Le Néolithique de Chypre, Actes du colloque international organisé par le Département des Antiquités deChypre et l’École française d’Athènes, Nicosie 17-19 mai 2001, édités par Jean GUILAINE et Alain LE BRUN, avec la collaboration d’Odile DAUNE-LE BRUN (2003).

44. Les Messéniens de 370/369 au Ier siècle de notre ère. Monnayage et histoire, par Catherine GRANDJEAN (2002).

45. La sculpture architecturale byzantine dans le thème de Nikopolis du Xe au début du XIIIe siècle (Épire et Étolie-Acarnanie et Sud de l’Albanie), par Catherine VANDERHEYDE (2005).

46. Mythos. La préhistoire égéenne du XIXe au XXIe siècle après J.-C. Actes de la table ronde internationaled’Athènes (21-23 novembre 2002), édités par Pascal DARCQUE, Michael FOTIADIS et Olga POLYCHRONOPOULOU (2006).

47. Études d’archéologie délienne, par Philippe BRUNEAU, Recueil d’articles rassemblés et indexés par Jean-Charles MORETTI (2006).

48. La sculpture des Cyclades à l’époque archaïque. Histoire des ateliers, rayonnement des styles, Actes du colloque international, organisé par l’Éphorie desAntiquités préhistoriques et classiques des Cyclades et l’École française d’Athènes (7-9 septembre 1998), édités par Y. KOURAYOS et Fr. PROST (2008).

49. La Sculpture Byzantine VIIe – XIIe siècle, Actes du colloque international, organisé par la 2e Éphorie des Antiquités byzantines et l’École française d’Athènes (6-8 septembre 2000),édités par Charalambos PENNAS et Catherine VANDERHEYDE (2008).

50. La gigantomachie de Pergame ou l’image du monde, par Françoise-Hélène MASSA-PAIRAULT (2007).

BCH suppl_51couverture 7/9/09 5:11 PM Page 1