Corsi 208, approx. 145 x 73 x 40 mm, © Oxford University Museum of Natural History
| OUMNH Number: | 208 |
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| Name and quarry location: | Languedoc marble, from Caunes-Minervois, Carcassonne, Aude, France |
| Geological description: | Devonian red limestone rich in crinoid debris, with prominent grey-white stromatactis and abundant stylolites. |
| Comments: | The vibrant scarlet-red colouring, and the meandering areas of grey-white calcite known as stromatactis make Languedoc marble a very distinctive stone. It was first quarried in Roman times, and is still being extracted today in the area of St Nazaire-de-Ladareze. The quarries that supplied much of the stone used in the palaces of Versailles and St Cloud were near Caunes-Minervois on the southern flank of the Montagne Noir; most probably the source of Corsi's specimen. Others quarries now closed were around Villefranche-de-Conflent. |
| References: | Blagrove (1888) 88; Bourrouilh (1999); De Thury (1823); Dubarry de Lassale (2000) 106-107; Dubarry de Lassale (2005); Flajs (1993); Hladil (2005); Perrier (1996); Peybernes (2004); Price (2007) 125; Watson (1916) 97, 101; Zoppas (a) 180, 215-216 |
| Further information: |
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| Corsi's classification: | Class 1. Marbles; Section 2. Veined marbles; Species 12. Veined marbles of Italy |
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| Corsi's text: | 72.30 Breccia di Francia... di Linguadoca |