Corsi Collection of Decorative Stones

view of stone 6

Corsi 6, approx. 145 x 73 x 40 mm, © Oxford University Museum of Natural History

OUMNH Number: 6  
Name and quarry location: Marmo Lesbio’, most probably Thasian marble, marmo Thaso, from Cape Vathy, Thasos (Thassos), East Macedonia an  
Geological description: Coarse-grained calcite or dolomite marble.  
Comments: Note that Corsi (1828) calls marmor Lesbium 'marmo greco giallognolo' and says it tends to pale yellow, a description which matches this sample. But if it is from Lesbos, one of the Aegean Islands of Greece, it is very atypical. All examples of marbles from this island seen in other collections are distinctly grey in colour, Corsi's specimens 145, 147 and 148 for example, are much more typical. The ancient quarries are in Moria, about 6 km from Metelino (today Mitilíni, Mytilini, or Mytilene) in S.E. Lesbos. According to Varti-Mataranga and Katsikatsos, the deposits are partially re-crystallised Upper Triassic limestones retaining some sedimentary and early diagenetic features.  
References: Bruno (2002b); Corsi (1828) 43; Corsi (1845) 85; Koukouli ed. (1999); Mielsch (1985) 61, taf.19; Pensabene (2002) 208-212; Price (2007) 63; Varti-Mataranga & Katsikatsos (2001)  
Further information:
 


Corsi's classification: Class 1. Marbles; Section 1. Monochrome marbles; Species 1. Statuary marbles  
Corsi's text: 19.6 Marmo greco scuro. Marmor Lesbium... marmo Lesbio, che cavavasi dall'Isola di Lesbo oggi Metelino.  

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