Corsi Collection of Decorative Stones

view of stone 674

Corsi 674, approx. 145 x 73 x 40 mm, © Oxford University Museum of Natural History

OUMNH Number: 674  
Name and quarry location: Basalte listata, possibly from Wadi Hammamat, Eastern Desert, Egypt  
Geological description: Most probably a metagreywacke, a metamorphosed turbidite deposit with sand to silt sized particles.  
Comments: There has been some confusion over the numbers of the ancient basalts in Corsi's collection. Mary Porter wrote in 1964 that 'Nos 674-678 inclusive - Italian labels on specimens - the numbers are out of order according to descriptions in the Corsi Catalogo ragionato. There are two specimens labelled 161.3.' This does not however account for the fact that none of Corsi's 'basalti' are in fact basalt, a dark extrusive igneous rock.  
References: Corsi (1845) 196; Harrell (2010a)  
Further information:
 


Corsi's classification: Class 9. Basalts; i. Ancient basalts  
Corsi's text: 161.4 Basalte listata  

Full entry in English