The History of Marble Architecture Part 1

02 Dec The History of Marble Architecture Part 1

PART 1

Today, marble is an incredibly popular building material for homes and institutions. Here at I-Stone Granite, we get frequent requests to use marble in various housing projects. This is hardly a new style, though. Throughout history, marble has been one of the most popular stones used in the construction of large buildings. The practice of using marble goes back thousands and thousands of years. This short series will detail some of the different periods of marble use in architecture, as well as explain the purpose behind each period and why they used it. Here is a brief history on the history of marble in architecture…

What even is marble?

Marble is a type of rock that develops from limestone or dolomite. When either of these rocks is put under an extreme amount of pressure, it metamorphosizes into marble, although the manner in which it does this can vary greatly, which is why there are dozens of different forms of marble. When heat and pressure mix, the minerals in the rocks will reform their molecular structure to create a stone that is stronger and more durable (marble). The actual term “marble” comes from the Greek work “marmaron,” which means “crystalline rock”.

Early usage in Egypt

Thousands of years ago, ancient cultures made use of the marbles strength and durability. The most pronounced culture that utilized marble in its architecture was the ancient Egyptians. In Egypt, two types of marble are quite popular: Galala Marble and Alabaster Marble, which is actually a type of imitation marble, although it is also a type of limestone (also known as onyx-marble). These types of marble were often used as a more ornate type of building material, and were associated only with the highest members of ancient Egyptian society. This was largely because the material was hard to obtain and transport, and only those with massive amounts of slaves could support such an endeavor.

Used for support strength

Many ancient societies, as well as the Egyptians, used marble for certain building projects. When constructing large institutional structures, such as religious temples, or buildings that housed royal activities, marble was frequently the material of choice. In particular, marble was almost always used in the form of pillars. The reason for this is that the minerals in marble had recrystallized to become stronger, and so pillars made of marble could support tremendous amounts of weight without breaking down.

Continued in Part 2.