Corsi Collection of Decorative Stones

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view of stone 152

Corsi 152, approx. 145 x 73 x 40 mm, © Oxford University Museum of Natural History

OUMNH Number: 152  
Name and quarry location: Porfido di Sardegna, from Sardinia, Italy  
Geological description: Calcite marble with scattered large crystals of calcite in a fine-grained groundmass coloured grey by minute grains of ?graphite. Any brown coloration is polishing compound filling cavities where the large grains have fallen out.  
Comments: This highly unusual stone is a marble, not a porphyry. Its source is not confirmed, and so far it has not been seen in other collections.  
References:  
Further information:
 


Corsi's classification: Class 1. Marbles; Section 2. Veined marbles; Species 10. Grey marbles; ii. Grey Italian marbles  
Corsi's text: 64.3 Porfido di Sardegna  

Full entry in English

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Funded by Esmée Fairbairn Foundation Oxford University Museum of Natural History University of Oxford