Corsi Collection of Decorative Stones

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view of stone 624

Corsi 624, approx. 145 x 73 x 40 mm, © Oxford University Museum of Natural History

OUMNH Number: 624  
Name and quarry location: Pietra del Vesuvio, from Mt. Vesuvius, Naples, Campania, Italy  
Geological description: Bedded volcanogenic sediment of calcareous composition throughout, with ovoid clasts up to 30mm of altered ultramafic rock. It has possible ripples and other soft sediment structures with some rip-ups and clasts settled in troughs. One layer comprises clasts of 1-2mm uniformly sized rounded grains.  
Comments: Similar samples in the Museum’s historic Daubeny collection are labelled 'marble … ejected mass [from] Fossa Grande', a deep ravine on the flanks of Vesuvius. Small slabs of the various stones from Vesuvius were sold to 'grand tourists'. For example, when Jane and Mary Parminter returned to England in the 18th century, they had their souvenirs inlaid in a table-top, now to be seen at A La Ronde, a National Trust property in Devon, England.  
References: Price (2007) 214. Other examples: Daubeny coll. 5435, 5436 and 5437, Oxford University Museum of Natural History.  
Further information:
 


Corsi's classification: Class 8. Volcanic stones; i. Stones from Vesuvius  
Corsi's text: 153.4 Pietra del Vesuvio. Altro [Lava]  

Full entry in English

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