Corsi 777, approx. 145 x 73 x 40 mm, © Oxford University Museum of Natural History
| OUMNH Number: | 777 |
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| Name and quarry location: | Sicilian jasper, diaspro di Coltobarro, perhaps diaspro di Caltavutura, from Coltabarro is perhaps Caltavutura, Palermo, Sicily, Italy |
| Geological description: | Green silicified ?limestone, fracture and cavity boundaries altered to hematite, lined with calcite crystals and infilled with colourless crystalline quartz. |
| Comments: | Probably from Sicily, Italy. No place called ‘Coltabarro’ has been located, but it may be a corruption or mis-reading of Caltavuturo, Province of Palermo which was in the past also spelt ‘Caltabuturo’ (Tata, 1772), a source of green jaspers according to Borch (Montana, 1998) and Jervis (1881). Note this appears to be the same stone as the ancient diaspro nero e giallo illustrated in Borghini et al (1997). |
| References: | Borghini (1997) 209; Jervis (1881) 206; Jervis (1889) 449-482; Montana & Briuccia (1998) 37; Price (2007) 246-247; Schmidt (2002); Tata (1772) 21, 31 |
| Further information: |
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| Corsi's classification: | Class 14. Quartz and its varieties; Species 6. Jasper; ii. Italian jaspers |
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| Corsi's text: | 190.29 Diaspro di Coltabarro... di Sicilia |