I rivestimenti pavimentali di Pompei ed Ercolano e l’uso dell’alabastro in epoca Romana (II SEC. A.C. – I SEC. D.C.): nuove indagini

Alabaster (calcitic onyx alabaster) was highly valued by the Romans for ornamental purposes. Pliny the Elder testifies to the novelty of alabaster, presumably calcareous, in mid first century BC Rome. The Alabaster: Quarrying and Trade in the Roman World Project examined alabaster in pavements at Po...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Perna, Simona, Barker, Simon
Format: book part
Publication Date:2017
Country:España
Institution:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repository:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:2072/450576
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/2072/450576
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Mosaics romans -- Pompeia (Ciutat antiga)
Alabastre -- Itàlia
Pompeia (Ciutat antiga) -- Arqueologia
Herculà (Ciutat antiga) -- Arqueologia
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Summary:Alabaster (calcitic onyx alabaster) was highly valued by the Romans for ornamental purposes. Pliny the Elder testifies to the novelty of alabaster, presumably calcareous, in mid first century BC Rome. The Alabaster: Quarrying and Trade in the Roman World Project examined alabaster in pavements at Pompeii and Herculaneum in order to determine the varieties employed at each city to fully understand its use and trade from the second century BC to the first century AD. This paper presents the results of the surveys (2014-2016). Onyx alabaster, in all probability from Egypt, is the earliest and most frequent variety at Pompeii, Turkish fiorito and North African pecorella at Herculaneum. The use of alabaster in many floors in rich Vesuvian houses confirms Pliny and other writers’ testimony of the predilection for such material by the Roman élite since the beginning.