ON THE WHITE AND COLOURED MARBLES OF THE ROMAN TOWN OF CUICUL (DJEMILA, ALGERIA)

Abstract

This paper reports the results of an archaeometric study of the local and imported marbles found in the Roman town of Cuicul (now Djemila, Algeria), a research project funded by the Sixth Framework Programme of the European Union. Of the few imported coloured lithotypes that have been found, four are of Greek origin and one was imported from Asia Minor. In addition, two other classical Roman coloured stones found on the site are probably of local North African origin (most likely one from Numidia and one from Algeria). With regard to the grey and white marbles employed in the statuary and architecture, petrographic study in thin section and the δ13C and δ18O isotopic data emphasize the frequent use of the local fine‐grained lithotype from Filfila (Skikda) together with imported Greek lithotypes (i.e., Pentelic marble, the dolomitic variety of Thasian marble, and Parian marble from Lakkoi) as well as different varieties of the so‐called ‘greco scritto’, whose provenance in some cases still remains uncertain. In fact, the petrographic and geochemical features of the marbles do not always match those known for the classical ‘greco scritto’ from the quarry of Cap de Garde, near Annaba (Algeria).

Calcite alabaster artifacts from Hierapolis in Phrygia, Turkey: Provenance determination using carbon and oxygen stable isotopes

“…Archaeometric analysis should help with identification in such cases. Stable carbon and oxygen isotope ratios, minero-petrographic study and strontium isotopes were used to characterize both calcite and gypsum alabasters (Antonelli, Lazzarini, Cancelliere, & Dessandier, 2010;Barbieri, Lilyquist, & Testa, 2002;Barbieri, Testa, Merola, Polychronakis, & Simitzis, 2002;Brilli et al, 2017;Çolak & Lazzarini, 2002;Herrmann, van den Hoek, & Tykot, 2012;Klemm & Klemm, 2008;Lazzarini, Visonà, Giamello, & Villa, 2012). These techniques are also among the most commonly adopted to characterize white and colored marbles and study the provenance of ancient artifacts (Attanasio et al, 2000;Matthews, Leese, Hughes, Herz, & Bowman, 1995;Moens et al, 1988); stable isotopes, in particular, have appeared to be promising ever since the first applications (Craig & Craig, 1972;Manfra, Masi, & Turi, 1975), although with the increasing data set it became almost impossible to differentiate marbles from various localities using this method alone (Antonelli & Lazzarini, 2015).…”

Petrographic Characterization and Provenance Determination of the Crystalline Marbles Used in the Roman City of Banasa (Morocco): New Data on the Import of Iberian Marble in Roman North Africa

“…Solid circles, white F ilfila marbles, also with fine grey veins, after Antonelli et al . (); open circles, both white and pale grey streaked F ilfila marbles, after Herrmann et al . (); solid and open squares, Cap de Garde marbles after Attanasio et al .…”

“…Isotopic fields were produced from the most up‐to‐date databases available for this kind of ancient marble (Antonelli et al . , ; Yavuz et al . ; Attanasio et al .…”

“…These same petrographic elements seem to point towards a probable Algerian provenance, from the Mount Filfila quarrying area, where very‐fine‐to‐fine‐grained (MGS in the 0.4–1.8 mm range) white or grey marbles outcrop (Antonelli et al . ) together with medium‐to‐coarse‐grained (MGS in the 2–4 mm range), dark grey and grey‐spotted varieties (Herrmann et al . ), which are highly variable in terms of isotopic ratios and markings.…”

A multi-analytical approach for determining the origin of the marbles in Temple-A from Laodicea ad Lycum (Denizli-Western Anatolia, Turkey)

“…Minero-petrographic, geochemical and provenance analyses of these marbles have great importance for historical and archaeological studies as well as for restoration of ancient artworks, monuments and buildings, and for determining imitations. In recent years, aimed to ascertain the provenance of marble sample of unknown origin, multiple analytical approaches have been performed to define a representative minero-petrographic, chemical-isotopic and physical database of the most important marbles used in antiquity [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18].…”