Greece - marble ECOS, Frome, Somerset
European Community Of Stone

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Marble from Paros


‘Tree of Life’ carved into the stone,
a symbol of ECOS

About the rock: This rock is a true marble metamorphosed from a pure white limestone. Its so-called Parian quality is its lustrous, pearly sheen which invites touch. Paros is one of the Cyclades, a group of islands in the complex created by the Mediterranean structures which result from collision of Africa with Europe. A consequence of that turmoil was the pure white marble interbedded with graphite and schists which testify to the high grade of metamorphism. The purer marble seams were mined into the heart of Mt. Profitis Elias which rises to 771m in the centre of the island. The surface of one side is coated with a stalagmitic screen and a small breccia of re-cemented marble fragments, all located on what was a joint surface in the quarry. Place of origin: This rock is the classic marble of antiquity; white marble from the island of Paros - Parian Marble. No stone would be more appropriate for a typical Greek open air theatre if our climate were only more kindly. On Paros this stone was worked from the Bronze age to a peak around 750BC. It was originally brought to England by the Romans as decorative stone in statues and plaques. Later it was brought back by gentlemen who did the Grand Tour of the Mediterranean classical world.