AN UPDATED, MULTI-METHOD DATABASE OF EPHESOS MARBLES, INCLUDING WHITE, GRECO SCRITTO AND BIGIO VARIETIES

An updated database of Ephesos marbles including 244 samples from 16 quarrying districts is reported. The unknown Greco Scritto quarries near Hasançavuslar and the Bigio marbles from the quarries of Belevi and of Mt Panayir are also presented. The paper, however, is mostly devoted to the identification of the Ephesos white marbles, whereas the problems posed by the Bigio and Greco Scritto varieties are deferred to future work. The samples have been characterized by isotopic analysis, EPR spectroscopy and additional petrographic and optical properties. Owing to the complex geology of the region, the white marbles of Ephesos exhibit rather inhomogeneous properties and are conveniently classified into four marble groups, which can be almost completely discriminated. The problem of distinguishing the Ephesos white marbles from other similar varieties has been dealt with by statistically comparing the Ephesos samples with all the similar, medium-grained varieties present in the marble database. Although some of the four Ephesos groups can be reliably identified, general solution of the discriminant problem is difficult. Historical archaeological information is needed to reduce the complexity of the problem by eliminating unlikely provenances. In this way relevant problems, such as the discrimination between Ephesos and Proconnesos marbles, can be solved.