Interesting facts about marble

marble

Marble is a metamorphic rock .

Metamorphic rocks arise from the transformation of existing rock types, in a process called metamorphism, which means “change in form”. The original rock is subjected to heat and pressure, causing profound physical or chemical change.

Marble is developed from limestone which is a sedimentary rock.

It is usually a light-colored rock. When marble is formed from a limestone with very few impurities, it will be white in color. Marble that contains impurities such as clay minerals, iron oxides, or bituminous material can be bluish, gray, pink, yellow, or black in color.

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Marble is found in various places around the world, including India, Greece, Spain, Turkey, Italy, and the United States of America.

It is often used for sculpture, as a building material, and for many other purposes.

The name marble derives from the Greek word “marmaros” and means “shining stone”.

Marble is a stone that has been loved for ages and ages. Many, if not most, cultures in the world have marble somewhere in their history.

Pietà

Though it was not milled in quantities as a great as limestone, some marble has been found within the tombs of pharaohs and high-ranking officials.

Marble vessels were placed within the kings’ tombs that held their organs, including their hearts and lungs, so that they would have them in the afterlife.

The marble vials would be carved in the shape of sacred animals, inlaid with gold or other delicate carvings, and placed next to the king’s sarcophagus, which was also inlaid with marble, and/or gold. Marble and gold were the finest building and decorating materials in Ancient Egypt, and they were adored by all.

As the favorite medium for Greek and Roman sculptors and architects, marble has become a cultural symbol of tradition and refined taste.

marble sculptures

The Venus de Milo is one of the most famous sculptures that has ever graced the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, and it was carved out of marble in Ancient Greece. Just like the sculpture, marble itself is a standard of beauty in Ancient Europe for buildings, and art.

Europe’s love for marble survived the Dark Ages after the fall of the Roman Empire to make its way into the floors of the most majestic cathedrals and palaces.

The shining marble star of Asia is the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. The Taj Mahal is a gorgeous white marble mausoleum constructed in the mid-17th century by a king for his favorite wife. It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being “the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage”.

taj mahal

Ashgabat, the capital city of Turkmenistan, was recorded in the 2013 Guinness Book of Records as having the world’s highest concentration of white marble buildings.

Powdered marble is used as an ingredient in paints, toothpaste, and plastics.

The word ‘marble’ is also used for other stones that can be polished well.

A marble is a small spherical toy often made from glass, clay, steel, plastic or agate.

marbles

Places named after the stone include Marble Arch, London; the Sea of Marmara; India’s Marble Rocks; and the towns of Marble, Minnesota; Marble, Colorado; and Marble Hill, Manhattan, New York.

‘Faux marble’ is a wall painting technique that imitates the color patterns of real marble.

Paper marbling is a method of aqueous surface design, which can produce patterns similar to smooth marble or other kinds of stone.