Everything You Need To Know About Thassos Marble
Marble mining on the island of Thassos is an ancient art and its history has been recorded
Α brief history of Thassos marble
There is clear evidence that some of these ancient quarries were in the popular tourist area of Alyki. One can see there, the techniques they used to extract marble. Since that time there have been texts on white Thassos marble used throughout Greece and Anatolia, usually in the construction and decoration of temples and other important urban structures.
It is said that the Romans used Thassos marble and that they carried it throughout their empire. It was used extensively throughout the empire during the Byzantine era, including the construction of parts of the famous Hagia Sophia located in Istanbul.
The popularity of the white marble of Thassos remains undiminished, to this day and is used to decorate extremely important buildings around the world.
Characteristics
White Marble is known for its crystalline whiteness and the unique way it reflects sunlight.
Thassos Marble Mining, Cutting and Processing Quarries are considered one of the most important centers in Greece, with huge stocks of high quality white and semi white marbles, sought after in the international market.
From the ancient quarry of Alyki Thassos, marble was moved to Macedonia, the rest of Greece, Rome to Egypt and Persia, to decorate prominent palaces and tombs. How the 2.500 cubic meters of marble volumes arrived from Thassos by then, to enclose the Macedonian tomb in Amphipolis, remains a mystery to be investigated.
Thassos Snow White, which is mined on the homonymous island of Northern Greece, is known throughout the centuries, for its pure brilliant whiteness and exquisite elegance, providing ultimate luxury to many prestigious works.
Being a crystalline dolomite marble, it provides greater reflection of sunlight than any other white marble worldwide, keeping cool temperatures for an extended period, making it ideal for ortho marble.
Varieties of Thassos marble
As with any natural stone, there are different varieties. When it comes to Thassos marble, there are 3 basic varieties:
- A1 – This variety is the whitest in color.
- A2 – This variety is more spotted and has a very light shade and light veins.
- A3 – This variety has bigger shades and veins and can also feature pores, micro-fissures and even bigger size shades.
Applications
Thassos marble is not advised to be used for kitchen countertops, though with very good previous treatment, it is possible. The degree of absorption is similar to the one of other marbles, but if the stone is not well treated, it will absorb the dirt, affecting the overall aesthetic. That’s the main reason why Thassos marble is mainly recommended for interior purposes.
Why choose your marbles from Conwave
- Trading marbles in Europe and Greece to the largest technical companies.
- One of the few well experienced marble – traders in the market, with access to the most exclusive types of Greek marble
- Over 40 years of collective knowledge and experience on import-export, as well as domestic and international trade
- Specialisation in the extraction, processing, and design of marble according to your specific requests
- White Thassos marble
- Sculpture applications, bathroom lining, building decoration
- Whiteness - Energy efficiency