Methodology and Parian lychnites and the Badminton Sarcophagus in New York

The Badminton Sarcophagus in New York, a splendid 3rd-century work that is believed to have been discovered in 1722 in Rome, has been revealed through multiple types of analysis and the translucency of its marble to be made of Parian lychnites, although not perhaps of the highest quality. This surprising conclusion is supported by isotopic and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) analyses, and the color and maximum grain size of the marble. In addition, thin section and trace analysis of the solid marble and its liquid micro-inclusions reinforce the marble identification as lychnites.