Table of Contents
- 1 Why was marble important in ancient Greece?
- 2 Why was marble used for the Parthenon?
- 3 Why did Roman artists use white marble?
- 4 What is the strength of marble?
- 5 Why are the Elgin Marbles important?
- 6 Why did the Greeks use marble and limestone?
- 7 Why is marble so popular in Greece?
- 8 Did the Romans use marble in their architecture?
Why was marble important in ancient Greece?
The ancients preferred white marble not only for its purity of color and beauty, but also for its soft composition and resistance to shatter. Other marble was also used. Ancient sculptors of Greece and Rome employed marble in free-standing sculptures as well as relief carvings.
Why was marble used for the Parthenon?
Its main features were the unique white appearance, purity, clarity and transparency. In ancient times the Pentelic marble was an important export product of Athens. The Penteli quarries were the main source of marble not only for the construction of Parthenon and other buildings of the Acropolis.
What did the Greeks call marble?
The Elgin Marbles (/ˈɛlɡɪn/), also known as the Parthenon Marbles (Greek: Γλυπτά του Παρθενώνα), are a collection of Classical Greek marble sculptures made under the supervision of the architect and sculptor Phidias and his assistants….
| Elgin Marbles | |
|---|---|
| Parthenon Marbles | |
| Artist | Phidias |
| Year | c. 447–438 BCE |
| Type | Marble |
What stone did the ancient Greeks use?
marble
The Greeks used a variety of materials for their large sculptures: limestone, marble (which soon became the stone of choice- particularly Parian marble), wood, bronze, terra cotta, chryselephantine (a combination of gold and ivory) and, even, iron.
Why did Roman artists use white marble?
White marble itself was prized for its brilliant translucency, ability to take finely carved detail, and flawless uniformity. A vast array of colored marbles and other stones were also quarried from throughout the Roman world to create numerous colorful statues (09.221. 6) of often dazzling appearance.
What is the strength of marble?
Marble often has compressive strengths as high as 20,000 psi, and when used in dry climates or in areas protected from precipitation, the stone is quite durable. Some varieties, however, are decomposed by weathering or exposure to industrial fumes, and are suitable only for interior work.
How did Greeks get marble?
Quarried underground in long shafts, where slaves worked by lamplight, the stone became known as “Lychnitis,” from the word “lychnos” or lamp. The island’s enormous Quarry of the Nymphs, according to architect Manolis Korres, must have produced nearly 100,000 cubic meters of usable marble.
Is Greek marble good?
The marble industry of Greek is the most profitable of all production centers in the country and is exported around the world for its quality and durability. Besides white marble, the quarries of Greece also yield high grade marble in shades like gray, beige, red, green and black along with onyx stone of high quality.
Why are the Elgin Marbles important?
The sculptures on the east pediment tell the tale of the birth of the goddess Athena, while those on the west depict a battle between Athena and the god Poseidon to determine who would be the patron deity of Athens.
Why did the Greeks use marble and limestone?
Limestone and marble were the chief building materials in ancient Greece. Quarrying and transporting the stones was labor-intensive. Architects participated in every aspect of the building process, from choosing the stone and overseeing its extraction to supervising the craftsmen who cut each piece in the quarry.
Why do artists use marble?
Compared to the next best alternative stone, limestone, marble possesses a much finer grain, which makes it much easier for the sculptor to render minute detail. Marble is also more weather resistant. Marble is rarer, therefore more expensive than several other types of rock used in stone sculpture.
What are the uses of marble?
Marbles are used principally for buildings and monuments, interior decoration, statuary, table tops, and novelties.
Why is marble so popular in Greece?
No doubt about it. Greece is marble. From time immemorial, marble has been a ubiquitous material in the Greek lands, a vibrant, glowing stone first exploited in prehistoric sculpture in the Late Neolithic era (5300-4500 BC), but most visibly in the third millennium BC during the Aegean Early Bronze Age.
Did the Romans use marble in their architecture?
Marble was everywhere (wood and other materials were not). As for the Romans their buildings were mostly made out of brick however they so admired the aesthetics of marble from the Ancient Greek buildings that they would cover their brick buildings with a layer of marble for style.
What are the characteristics of Greek marble sculpture?
Though rendered with more realism than sculptures from preceding periods, marble figures from this time are not yet naturalistic, as their expressions remain relatively stoic and their poses convey little movement. During Greece’s Classical Period (500 BCE to 323 BCE), marble sculptures rose to prominence.
What is the origin of the word marble?
The word’s origin is the ancient Greek work “marmaros”, which means “shiny stone”. The use of marble had already begun in the 6th century, to a limited degree however, mainly in combination with tuffs at areas of the buildings that would be decorated by paintings or sculptures, or areas that would be more exposed to humidity.