EXTRAEXPO PROJECT 2 MARBLE, THE DIVINE STONE This study was done in the framework of the EXTRA EXPO Project: from EXTRAction to EXPOsition: a journey on how rocks become masterpieces, co-funded by European Commission – Enterprise and Industry Directorate-General; Programme: 3 Cooperation projects to support transnational tourism based in European cultural and industrial heritage. The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. EXTRAEXPO PROJECT 4 MARBLE, THE DIVINE STONE INDEX ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................................. 9 I. MARBLE, THE DIVINE STONE ............................................................................................................................................ 11 II. THE USES OF MARBLE THROUGHOUT HISTORY ................................................................................................ 13 5 1. The Marble in Ancient Times: from Prehistory to the Renaissance ...................................................... 13 a. From Venus of Willendorf to Venus de Milo ................................................................................................ 13 b. The Roman World and the Spread of Marble Architecture ................................................................. 18 c. The Late Antiquity and the Marble's Reutilization .................................................................................. 22 d. From the Medieval Cathedral to the Renaissance Palace .................................................................. 25 5. The Explosion of Marble Use: from the Renaissance until the Present ............................................ 27 a. The Renaissance Urbanism and the Magnificent Trevi Fountain .................................................... 27 b. The Use of Faux Marble and the Representation of Love in the Divine Stone ........................ 30 c. The Modern Times and the New Approaches of Marble Use ............................................................ 32 III. MARBLE TERRITORIES ..................................................................................................................................................... 39 1. Alentejo Region, Portugal ............................................................................................................................................ 41 a. Geography .................................................................................................................................................................... 41 b. Geology ......................................................................................................................................................................... 42 c. History ........................................................................................................................................................................... 44 d. Heritage and Culture .............................................................................................................................................. 45 2. Attica Region, Greece .................................................................................................................................................. 48 a. Geography ................................................................................................................................................................... 48 b. Geology ......................................................................................................................................................................... 49 c. History ........................................................................................................................................................................... 50 d. Heritage and Culture ............................................................................................................................................... 51 EXTRAEXPO PROJECT 3. Lucca Province, Italy .................................................................................................................................................... 55 a. Geography ................................................................................................................................................................... 55 b. Geology ......................................................................................................................................................................... 56 c. History ............................................................................................................................................................................57 d. Heritage and Culture .............................................................................................................................................. 59 4. Macael, Spain ................................................................................................................................................................... 63 6 a. Geography ................................................................................................................................................................... 63 b. Geology ......................................................................................................................................................................... 64 c. History ............................................................................................................................................................................67 d. Heritage and Culture .............................................................................................................................................. 70 5. Wallonia, Belgium ............................................................................................................................................................ 77 a. Geography .................................................................................................................................................................... 77 b. Geology ......................................................................................................................................................................... 78 c. History ............................................................................................................................................................................79 d. Heritage and Culture ............................................................................................................................................... 81 IV. MARBLE: HERITAGE AND TOURISM ........................................................................................................................ 85 1. Identity, Culture and Heritage .................................................................................................................................. 87 2. Patrimonialization .......................................................................................................................................................... 88 3. Cultural Tourism ............................................................................................................................................................. 89 4. New trends in Tourism ................................................................................................................................................ 90 a. The Quest for Authenticity ................................................................................................................................. 90 b. The Staged Authenticity ....................................................................................................................................... 91 5. The Emergence of the Experience Economy ................................................................................................. 93 V. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS ............................................................................................................................................... 95 BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................................................................................... 99 WEB REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................................ 103 MARBLE, THE DIVINE STONE ABSTRACT This study aims to address the importance and the role of the marble in the world, giving an overview on its extraction, trade and use since the beginning of the humanity until the present. Marble has been considered a superior and distinctive raw material and from ancient times its pureness and beauty is much appreciated. From the antiquity marble has been carved by talented and famous artists to decorate buildings of prestigious people and to praise the divine.