Corsi Collection of Decorative Stones

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view of stone 629

Corsi 629, approx. 145 x 73 x 40 mm, © Oxford University Museum of Natural History

OUMNH Number: 629  
Name and quarry location: Pietra del Vesuvio, from Mt. Vesuvius, Naples, Campania, Italy  
Geological description: A deformed, veined carbonate-rich rock. The cream tint and red fracture-fill is caused by jeweller's rouge used for polishing, and is not evident on the unpolished side of the specimen. Yellow is wax filler. The cream end of the specimen is a strongly deformed coarse clastic rock with rounded clasts up to 20mm, some containing brown oxide zones, that plastically intrude the other part.  
Comments: Like nos. 623 to 630, this may well be another 'marble … ejected mass' from the '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:  
Further information:
 


Corsi's classification: Class 8. Volcanic stones; i. Stones from Vesuvius  
Corsi's text: 154.9 Pietra del Vesuvio. Altro [Lava]  

Full entry in English

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