Corsi 788, approx. 145 x 73 x 40 mm, © Oxford University Museum of Natural History
| OUMNH Number: | 788 |
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| Name and quarry location: | Imperial porphyry, porfido nero, from Gebel Dokhan, Eastern Desert, Egypt |
| Geological description: | Andesite-dacite porphyry of white plagioclase phenocrysts in a black groundmass. |
| Comments: | Porfido nero is the black variety of imperial porphyry from Gebel Dokhan (the ancient Mons Porphyrites) in the Eastern Desert of Egypt. The imperial quarries were worked from at least the 1st century through to the 5th century AD, using a workforce of slaves. The ancient quarries were rediscovered in 1823, and their location was described by the quarry hunter William Brindley (1887). They were never reopened on a commercial scale, so virtually every example of this stone seen around the world was quarried in ancient Roman times. |
| References: | Borghini (1997) 272; Brindley (1887); Corsi (1845) 200-204; Harrell (2010a); Lazzarini (2002c) 233-235; Mielsch (1985) 65, taf.21; Price (2007) 202-203 |
| Further information: |
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| Corsi's classification: | Class 15. Porphyry; Species 1.; i. Antique porphyry |
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| Corsi's text: | 194.5 Porfido antico. Marmor Porphyrite. Porfirite. Porfido verde... la prime cave del porfido rosso si aprissero presso l'istmo di Sues. Di altra cave di porfido aperta nella Tebaide... si è chiamata Tebano. Marmo Romano |