Corsi Collection of Decorative Stones

view of stone 84

Corsi 84, approx. 145 x 73 x 40 mm, © Oxford University Museum of Natural History

OUMNH Number: 84  
Name and quarry location: Portasanta, from northwest of Chora, Island of Chíos, North Aegean, Greece  
Geological description: Breccia of poorly-sorted fine-grained pink and cream-coloured limestone clasts in a dark red hematite-bearing micritic matrix. The limestone clasts have a few bioclasts and stylolites. Late stage white calcite-filled fractures cross the specimen.  
Comments: Portasanta is named after the Holy Door of St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican (see the Portasanta pdf). It was first used by the ancient Greeks, and was extensively quarried by the Romans from the 1st century BC until the quarries closed in Byzantine times and for centuries their location was lost. Corsi was incorrect in believing this to be Carian marble from the Turkish island of Iasos. The ancient quarries were rediscovered on the Island of Chios, Greece, by William Brindley at the end of the 19th century. Since then, there has been sporadic extraction of the stone. Together, Corsi's specimens of Portasanta show well the typical pink/brownish red/grey/white colour palette of this breccia, and the net-like arrays of stylolites often seen in the Chian rock.  
References: Borghini (1997) 285-287; Corsi (1845) 95-97; Lazzarini (2002c) 262-265; Mielsch (1985) 55-56, taf.14; Porter (1907) 70-72; Price (2007) 140-141  
Further information: Portasanta.pdf
 


Corsi's classification: Class 1. Marbles; Section 2. Veined marbles; Species 1. Porta Santa marble  
Corsi's text: 43.8 Marmo Porta Santa. Marmor Jasense. La cava era nell' Isola di Jaso dell' Arcipelago sulle coste della Caria nell' Asia minore, per cui da molti scrittori si è anche chiamato marmo Cario... esso corrisponda all'antico marmo di Jaso.  

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