Corsi Collection of Decorative Stones

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view of stone 632

Corsi 632, approx. 145 x 73 x 40 mm, © Oxford University Museum of Natural History

OUMNH Number: 632  
Name and quarry location: Pietra del Vesuvio, from Mt. Vesuvius, Naples, Campania, Italy  
Geological description: A calc-silicate skarn, composed of iron-stained brown and pale green granular dolomite/calcite and dark green to black amphibole/chlorite mixture containing scattered aggregates of yellow ?. Carbonate-rich parts contain zones of subhedral pale green crystals which may be prehnite.  
Comments: This skarn is part of a block of limestone caught up, metamorphosed, and ejected from Somma or Vesuvius. Such rocks often have cavities lined with well-formed crystals of a variety of different minerals, some quite rare. 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: href="/corsi/decorative/bibliography#price2007">Price (2007) 214  
Further information:
 


Corsi's classification: Class 8. Volcanic stones; i. Stones from Vesuvius  
Corsi's text: 154.12 Pietre del Vesuvio  

Full entry in English

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