Marble's Rich History

No matter where it is, the look of marble does not go unnoticed. Ever since its popularity with the Roman and Greek empires, the stone has remained as the symbol of class, sophistication and affluence.

From the historic Washington monument in Washington D.C., the Taj Mahal in India, the walls of Palace in Versailles and to the symbolic statue of David, marble can be found anywhere. The Greek’s noticed its reliance and gave it its’ name, “marble,” which is synonymous to a snow white, spotless stone. The English language also uses it as a root word for “marmoreal” which means “marble-like.”

The stone is geologically defined as, “A non-foliated metamorphic rock that is produced from the metamorphism of limestone. It is composed primarily of calcium carbonate.” In simple terms, it is a rock that has taken to create inside of the Earth. There are three predominant types of marble which are found in three different locations: Carrara is found in Italy, Pentelicus is found in Greece and Proconnesus is found in Turkey.

The stone even has a symbolic meani

ng in folklore as it is associated with the astrological sign of Gemini. Even more, it is a sign of purity, an emblem of immortality and a promise of success and progress.

Marble’s history is based off a broad spectrum, with it being popular due to both its beauty and durability. The stone was a key element in creating big buildings that were used as monuments and temples to last for ages.  Artists, like Michelangelo, used it because it was a sturdy piece what would prove to be amazing in just looks alone.

In the beginning of its use, the only type of marble that was seen as prestigious was the white stone because colored ones seemed impure. However, the belief was short-lived because in just a generation, colored marble was soon appreciated and incorporated into cultures.  In today’s world, you can see marble in different colors and designs, all keeping the timeless look held for centuries.

After the Greek civilizations, the Romans used marble as bricks and mortar for buildings and created marble slabs. These marble slabs not only turned into art work and designs, but aided in their creation of marble cities.

The golden years of marble was found during the Renaissance era, in which artists were exploring the different mediums of expressing through art. In this time, building with marble was not as imperative as carving and chiseling it to create statues. This was the time win which methods to improve marble through intricate techniques were used.  

In case the history of marble has not persuaded you of the beauty marble possess, make sure to visit our wonderful marble selection today and see for yourself.