Ancient white and grey marbles from Aphrodisias: multi‐method characterization

Archaeometry, vol. 66, pp. 30–56

Abstract

Abstract The paper presents the results of the archaeometric investigation, conducted for the first time with the use of a wide range of analytical methods, on white and grey marbles exploited in the so‐called City and Regional Quarries of Aphrodisias (south‐western Turkey). The research, based on a multi‐method approach and performed on a representative set of samples, was aimed to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the most important properties of Aphrodisian marbles. The material studied here shows a large overlap in petrographic and geochemical features among the marbles exploited in local and regional quarries, as well as with most of the widespread marbles used in Antiquity. Surprisingly, none of the methods used here, either by themselves or used in combination, is sufficient to discriminate reliably between Aphrodisian and other marble types (mainly Paros‐Lakkoi and Prokonnesos), as well as between marbles extracted from the City and Regional Quarries. The only provenance indicator is the depleted δ 13 C values below +0.5‰ for the grey variety from sectors AF3 and AF9, which constitute 15% of collected samples. The presumed international use of Aphrodisian marbles may be difficult to verify based on these indistinct outcomes. Another important element of the study are the topographical measurements used to estimate the volume of extracted material.

Authors 9

1. Dagmara Wielgosz‐Rondolino corresponding

   University of Warsaw

   Affiliation as printed

   Faculty of Archaeology University of Warsaw Warsaw Poland

   Faculty of Archaeology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland

2. Fabrizio Antonelli

   Università Iuav di Venezia

   Affiliation as printed

   LAMA—Laboratorio di Analisi dei Materiali Antichi Iuav University of Venice Venice Italy

3. Maciej J. Bojanowski

   Instytut Nauk Geologicznych · Polish Academy of Sciences

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Geological Sciences Polish Academy of Sciences Warsaw Poland

   Institute of Geological Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland

4. Patrick Degryse Aachen Faculty of Archaeology Faculty of Archaeology, Archaeological Science

   Leiden University · KU Leuven

   Affiliation as printed

   Earth and Environmental Sciences Centre for Archaeological Sciences, KU Leuven Leuven Belgium

   Faculty of Archaeology, Archaeological Science Universiteit Leiden Leiden the Netherlands

   Earth and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Archaeological Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

   Faculty of Archaeology, Archaeological Science, Universiteit Leiden, Leiden, the Netherlands

5. Marcin Gładki
   Affiliation as printed

   DAJNA—Jerzy Okulicz‐Kozaryn Foundation Warsaw Poland

6. M. Cemal Göncüoğlu

   Middle East Technical University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Geological Engineering Middle East Technical University Ankara Turkey

   Department of Geological Engineering, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

7. Lorenzo Lazzarini

   Università Iuav di Venezia

   Affiliation as printed

   LAMA—Laboratorio di Analisi dei Materiali Antichi Iuav University of Venice Venice Italy

8. Leah Long
   Affiliation as printed

   Mercersburg Academy Mercersburg PA USA

   Mercersburg Academy, Mercersburg, PA, USA

9. Sara Mandera

   Institute of Paleobiology · Polish Academy of Sciences

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Paleobiology Polish Academy of Sciences Warsaw Poland

   Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland