Marc Waelkens - Böcker

Marble in Ancient Greece and Rome: Geology, Quarries, Commerce, Artifacts Marble remains the sine qua non raw material of the an­ cient Greeks and Romans. Beginning in the Bronze Age sculptu­ re began in marble and throughout classical times the most im­ portant statues, reliefs, monuments and inscriptions were made of it. Yet, quarry sources changed in time as preferences for different marbles were influenced by local traditions, the pos­ sibilities of transport, esthetic tastes, and economics. Marble studies and the identification of the provenance of marble can thus reveal much about Greek and Roman history, trade, esthe­ tics and technology. Persons in many disciplines are studying various aspects of Greek and Roman marble usage. Geologists and geochemists are working on methods to determine the provenance of marble; ar­ chaeologists are noting changing patterns of import and use in excavation~ and discovering how improving quarrying techniques and prelimihary dressing of the extracted material influenced the final shape of artifacts; ancient historians are now under­ standing quarry organization and bureaucracies that controlled marble production and trade; art historians are seeing how phy­ sical characteristics of the stone affected the techniques and style of sculpture; architects and engineers are interested in quarry technologies and usage in building construction. These specialists drawn from many disciplines rarely have an opportu­ nity to compare notes and see how each can contribute to the research effort of others.

Sagalassos, once the metropolis of the Western Taurus range (Pisidia, Turkey), was only thoroughly surveyed in 1884 and 1885 by an Austrian team directed by K. Lanckoronski. In 1986-1989 this work was resumed by a British-belgian team co-directed by Dr. Stephen Mitchell (University College of Swansea) and by Prof. Dr. Marc Waelkens (Catholic University of Leuven). In 1990 Sagalassos became a full scale Belgian project and a leading centre for interdisciplinary archaeological and archaeometrical research.Due to its altitude, the site is one of the best preserved towns from classical antiquity, with a rich architectural and sculptural tradtion dating from the second century BC to the sixth century AD. From early Imperial times untiel the early Byzantine period a complete range of coarse and red slip wares was produced locally. Excavations are concentrated on qthe upper and lower agoras to document the plitical and commercial life in the town and also in the area where a late Hellenistic fountain house, which stll functions to date, and a Roman library were discovered. Major efforts are undertaken to restore the excavated monuments in their old glory. Several disciplines integrate the town again within its ancient environment and document the central role which Sagalassos played in the area.