History of granite and marble

Natural stones are rock formations formed by nature. These stones are naturally formed by enormous pressure under the ground. Natural stones were used in decoration and sculpture from the moment civilization was born. These natural stones have been time tested for their natural beauty. Ancient buildings and monuments made of natural stones during early civilizations still stand tall narrating the beauty and durability of natural stones.

Modern people want their home to stand out from the rest and they used natural stone for their floors and walls to achieve timeless beauty.

Granite and marble are two main natural stones widely used in the stone industry. These stones are used both in constructions and in monumental sculptures. Commercially, these stones are quarried for use as architectural stones for floors, siding, curbs, countertops, and much more for use in the home.

Granite is a very present igneous rock. The texture of granite is generally medium to coarse grained. Porphyritic texture is very common in granite rocks. Various colors of granite stones are widely available and most of the time, granite is available as a solid rock. The beauty of granite is attributed to deposits like quartz, feldspar, and mica. Consistent granite has the same pattern throughout the stone. Variegated granite has several veins that form different patterns that are not easy to combine.

It was the ancient Egyptians who mined granite exclusively for use in various constructions. Most of its monuments were built with granite and limestone. The only ancient wonder that remains, the Great Pyramid of Cheops, was built from limestone. The famous pharaoh, symbol of the outstanding Egyptian civilization, was built with granite blocks. The Egyptians had wonderful sculpting skills and the Pharaoh’s granite blocks were sewn in such a perfect way that not even a piece of paper can slide between the rocks.

Pure white marble is a very pure limestone metamorphic rock. Marble is widely found in various countries such as Belgium, France, Great Britain, Greece, India, Spain, and Italy. Since classical times, pure white marble was considered the best of its kind. At first, only white marble was considered worthy and colored marble was considered impure. However, this belief was short-lived because very early on, ancient civilizations also appreciated colored marbles and used colored marbles in various monuments and sculptures, although pure white marble is always considered tall. Freshly mined marble is easy to sculpt and the stone hardens as it ages.

The ancient Greeks were very advanced in civilization and were really fascinated by marble. The finest architecture and sculpture are specialties of Greek architecture and marble has been used in various Greek buildings. Exquisite statues with detailed carvings were made in marble. Buildings made of marble lasted for several ages. The Parthenon, which was built in 441-437 BC. C., It is considered a symbol of the ancient Greek civilization and this brilliant building was built with Pentelicon marble.

The Greek Empire used marble extensively in its constructions. The Temple of Artemis is one of the ancient wonders of the world and consists of 127 marble columns, each of which is 5 stories high. It was the first great structure made of marble. The magnificent construction was destroyed by various civilizations that took over Greece, but foundations and some columns of the wonderful marbles can still be found.

When natural stones were widely used in the construction of monuments and temples, it was the Greek empire that brought marble to personal use. References to marble-lined baths and pools can be seen in ancient literature. Thasos marble was widely used in bathrooms and this type of marble is still quarried today for commercial uses. Marble constructions were also popular in India and the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, was built with pure white marble stones.

After the Egyptian and Greek civilizations did some wonders with natural granite and marble stones, the Roman Empire decided to try their hands on both granite and marble. Many of the roads of the Roman Empire were built with granite. Public baths became popular in Rome and these baths were made of granite. Pantheon in Rome used granite stones for columns and you can see these columns standing even today.

The Romans loved granite and marble for different reasons. They used granite for the constructions because the stone is very durable and strong. Marble was used mainly for aesthetic reasons because the Romans believed that marble was the most beautiful stone. The building pattern of the Egyptians and Greeks was different from that of the Romans. While ancient civilizations used large granite and marble stones to build constructions, the Romans used bricks and mortar for buildings and then lined them with slabs of marble and granite. It is for this reason that the Romans were able to build marble cities in a short time.

The Renaissance period is a golden period for all kinds of works of art. Artists and sculptors were interested in using natural stones for their works of art. Extraction methods were improved over time and technical use was invented. Innovative and novel users of natural stones increased during the Renaissance period. The famous Michelangelo made several beautiful marble sculptures. The ornate decorations made with marble and granite were used in the decoration of churches, temples and other buildings of magnificent nature. Meanwhile, natural stones were carved into decorative pieces for use in the home.

It was only during modern times that natural stones came close to mankind. Extraction techniques were vastly improved and there was no need for men to die in the quarries dealing with dynamite. Innovative technologies were used in the extraction of natural stones. In addition, the world began to think about environmentally friendly materials for house construction. Architects and designers were overly enthusiastic about natural stones used in monument construction. In the last decade, people preferred to use more durable but elegant materials to build houses.

Marble and granite are available in various patterns and colors and it was not easy to find the same stone pattern. This uniqueness of natural stones made people want more use of natural stones. In ancient times, marble and granite were used for cladding and decoration. People relied on durable stone and laid floors with granite and marble. Aside from their bathrooms, the living room, bedroom, and other rooms in the house had natural stone floors.

Although natural stones add exquisite beauty to the home, they are highly porous in nature. Hard substances can easily damage these natural stones. However, thanks to the latest technologies, it is possible to add more strength to the stones and seal the porous nature so that these stones can be widely used in homes. Only during the last few years did marble and granite countertops become popular.

Exquisite and natural stones that were only used by kings and emperors are now available to a common man because tiles made from natural stones are much more affordable now. Consumers should be very careful when buying marble and granite tiles and countertops because natural stones are now made synthetically as well. If you prefer aesthetic beauty for your elegant family, always make sure to buy natural stones that were widely preferred by aristocrats of the past.

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