Αρχαία λατομεία μαρμάρου στην Μακεδονία: ορυκτολογική, πετρογραφική και ισοτοπική (C,O) μελέτη = Ancient marble quarries of Macedonia, Greece: mineralogical, petrographic and isotopic (C,O) study

Περίληψη

The present contribution aims at the study of the mineralogical, petrographic and isotopic characteristics of the marbles from quarries in Macedonia, N. Greece. The study focuses on the following ancient quarrying centers: Vria of Pieria mount, Vermio mount, Tranovalto of Kamvounia mount, Aravissos of Paiko mount, Philippi of Kavala, Aliki of Thasos island. Data obtained from the extraction techniques are combined with the geological, mineralogical and stable isotopic features in order to determine these marble ancient sources. The rocks at the studied ancient quarries are marbles except in Aravissos which is a micritic grey limestone. The research showed that the studied marbles are white to white-grey in color and medium- to coarse-grained, except the marbles from Vria and Tranovalto which are finegrained. The main mineral constituent of the marbles is calcite and traces of quartz, white mica, plagioclase and sulfides, were identified in some cases. In small percentages dolomite was involved in the marbles from Vria, Koumaria of Vermion, Tranovalto and Aliki. All the marbles have a heteroblastic texture, except in Tranovalto where the texture is homeoblastic. The isotopes of C and O are in all cases relatively homogeneous and they are grouped when they are plotted at the δ13C-δ18Ο diagram. Regarding the selection of the proper raw materials which should be used for future possible restorations at the monuments in Macedonia and the adjacent regions, the results of this investigation will be very useful.