THE ONYX MARBLES. 579 



by the wealthier classes, as already noted (p. 550), aud is still utilized to 

 some extent, though mainly in the manufacture of small oruameuts. 



The Museum collections contaiu but a few small pieces of material 

 from this source, and which are either pure milk white in color and 

 verj" translucent (62009), or of a dull red brown color aud opaque 

 (02010), the latter being" apparently au oxidation j^roduct from the 

 white. The stone is interesting from a chemical standpoint, as already 

 noted (p. 550). 



Other localities than those mentioned above are known. Thus Blau- 

 ford* says: 



"Moimt Kuh Hazar,t lying between Bam and Karman, consists mainly if not wholly 

 of volcanic rocks and ash beds. At the base of the mountain, near Rayin, there is 

 much calcareous tuffa in horizontal beds, apparently deposited by springs, some of 

 which are seen a short distance up the side of the mountain, forming calcareous 

 deposits. Large 1)locks of massive carbonate of lime of a slightly greenish tint, 

 and apparently formed in stalagmitic masses, are found in the neighborhood, and 

 are used for ornamental purposes. A similar stone is said to be brought from Yezd 

 and other places, aud it is generally known in Persia as Yezd marble. It closely 

 resembles the Egyptian stone known as oriental alabaster, except that the color is 

 greenish white instead of yellow." 



This is doubtless the stone described by Curzon as — 



''An excellent yellow, semitransparent marble, quarried in the mountains near Yezd, 

 the actual spot being Turuu Pusht, 40 miles from Taft and 56 miles from Yezd. As 

 already noted, it is from the Yezd stone, according to Curzon, that was constructed 

 the tomb of the poet Hatiz. From this stone, too, according to the same authority, 

 were constructed the superb marble throne and the twisted marble pillars that now 

 adorn the throne room or talar in the royal palace at Teheran. " 



Still another locality for this stone or one answering well its descrip- 

 tion is near the village of Tauris,in Susiane. Chardin| describes it as — 



'•transparent presque comme le cristal de roche, et on voit a travers de tables qui 

 ont un pouce d' epassier et meme plus. Ce marbre est blanc, mele de verd, pale 

 comme une maniere de jadde. II est si tendre que le couteau 1' entame: ce qui fait 

 peuser a plusiers que ce n'est pas uu vrai mineral, ni qui ait la consistance d' une 

 vraie j)ierre. " 



Italy. — The writer is informed by Chevalier Jervis that very many 

 localities exist in difterent parts of Italy where natural caverns in lime- 

 stones of varying geological age are to be met with, and which are cap- 

 able of affording nuich tine marble for decorative purposes. A very 

 complete list of these is given in Mr. Jervis's treatise on the economic 

 geology of Italy,§ aud we will here mention only the more important 

 and widely known. Singularly enough the ancient Romans, with all 

 their love for lavish display in articles beautiful and rare, seem to have 



^Eastern Persia, an account of the Journeys of the Persian Boundary Commission, 

 1870-1872, Vol. II, p. 486. 



tKuh Hazar is a mountain 14,550 feet in height, lying between Bam and Karman, 

 in the central southern portion of the Empire. 



t Voyages du Chevalier Chardin en Perse, etc., Vol. iii, 1811. 



§ See I Tesori Sotterranei dell' Italia, vol. 3, p. 340, and vol. 4, p. 504. 



