Ancient Greek Quarries

Work and space organization, mining and hewing techniques, methods of transport, cost, dissemination and use of stone

Georgia Kokkorou-Alevra, Irini Poupaki, Alexis Efstathopoulos

Product code: 001539

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The fruit of a research programme of many years carried out by the University of Athens so as to establish a detailed catalogue of ancient quarries, the book offers an overview of the use of marble in antiquity and the functioning of open air and underground quarries. The historical framework of the use of stone is presented, both as a building material and a tradable commodity for making tools, as well as the process of mining local stone -mainly limestone- as of the 7th century BCE. The difference between calcareous rock and marble is analyzed as, also, the mining of white and grey marble. The most ancient mining sites are found in the Cyclades islands, among which the Naxos quarries occupy a particular place in terms of production even though, finally, it was marble from Mount Penteli and the island of Paros that predominated in Ancient Greek art. Separate chapters cover the functioning of open air and underground mines, the mining techniques and tools, the mechanisms used to transport the quarried stone, as well as the manner in which ancient quarries, the mining installations and their human factor, i.e. the owners and workers, were organized.