Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 19.6.
Confirmation of a legend.
A:
Ooids of Cleopatra's beach, Sedir Island, Turkey. The ooids are characterized by
well-defined concentric lamination and nuclei consisting of skeletal grains and clastic grains. White particles are silici-
clastics.
B:
Ooids from the beach sand at the coast west of Alexandria, Cleopatra's capital. The great similarity in size and
microfabric as well as mineralogical composition and geochemical data support the old legend that the ooid sand at Cleopatra's
beach on Sedir Island was shipped by the Roman ruler Marcus Antonius from Egypt to the Turkish island to construct a
bathing area for Cleopatra. After El-Sammak and Tucker (2002).
Portrait of Cleopatra VII: Courtesy of Ägyptisches Museum Berlin.
19.6 Marble Studies
with the study of petrographical criteria, because of
possible coincidences of isotopic patterns of marbles
from different localities (Germann et al. 1988; Fioren-
tini and Hoernes 1996). Correct provenance assignment
also helps in detecting forgeries related to copies of
antique sculptures.
Marbles in the archaeological sense include all polish-
able sedimentary, volcanic and metamorphic stones
(e.g. carbonate rocks, porphyry, granite, basalt). Cal-
cite and dolomite marbles are studied in polished slabs
and thin sections with regard to crystal fabrics, orien-
tation and size of crystals as well as noncarbonate min-
erals, which are often responsible for variations in rock
colors (Walsh 1990; Dodge 1991; Ward-Perkins 1992;
Sect. 7.9). Postcrystalline deformation criteria (curved
twin lamellae, intertwinned grain boundaries, undulose
extinction), accessory minerals and the orientation of
calcite crystals may be of help in distinguishing marbles
from different regions. Stable isotope patterns, rare el-
ement data, cathodoluminescense and crystal fabric
analysis are useful in discriminating ancient marbles
of specific provenance (Walker and Matthews 1990;
Moens et al. 1990; Riederer 1990; Margolis and Show-
ers 1990; Newman 1990; Barbin et al. 1992; Cabanot
et al. 1995; Maniatis et al. 1995; Cramer et al. 1998;
Schmid et al. 1999, 2000; Lapuente et al. 2000; Fant
2001). These methods should be used in combination
19.7 Antony and Cleopatra: Tracing a
Famous Love Affair
Legend tells us that the Roman ruler Mark Antony
shipped white sand from Alexandria in Egypt to Sedir
Island in the southeastern Aegean Sea sometime around
35 BC to create a pleasant beach for his lover, the fa-
mous Egyptian queen Cleopatra VII. 'Cleopatra's
beach' is one of the most famous in Turkey for its dis-
tinctive white sand, composed largely of calcareous oo-
ids. This type of sand is a complete anomaly on the
northeastern and eastern shores of the Mediterranean.
El-Sammak and Tucker (2002) have found good evi-
dence that lends credence to the Antony and Cleopatra
story.
