STYLOLITIC STRUCTURE IN TENNESSEE MARBLE 563 
limestone of New York, the Bedford limestone of Indiana, and the 
Tennessee marble. 
CHARACTER OF THE PHENOMENA 
Early observations, and names applied to it.—According to Roth- 
pletz this structure was first mentioned by Mylius in 1751. In 1807 
Friesleben described it as ‘“‘apfenformiger Strictur der Flozkalk- 
stein,’ and later Hausman referred to it as “Stangelkalk.” The 
name ‘‘lignilites’’ was applied to these structures by Eaton in 
1824. In 1838 they were called ‘‘epsomites” by Vanuxem, who 
likened them to the sutures of the human cranium, while Hunt 
gave them the name “‘crystallites” in 1863. The name “‘stylolites,”’ 
from stulos, ‘“‘a column,” was given them by Kloden in 1828. 
Description of the structure in Tennessee marble.—The sutures 
present in Tennessee marble have the typical appearance of 
‘‘stylolites”’ as described by authors. They consist of slicken- 
sided columns of stone projecting alternately from the surfaces on 
either side of a parting or fracture plane whereby the two parts 
of the stone become intimately interlocked. As a rule the union 
is so intricate and firm that the stone will break more readily else- 
where than along the suture. The columns vary in length from a 
small fraction of an inch to four inches or more, and in diameter 
they may be two inches or more, though usually they are much 
under this. The sides of the columns are fluted and striated in the 
manner characteristic of ‘‘slickensides.”” Occasionally the columns 
are broad and relatively short with tops studded with the small pro- 
jections. The columns are usually capped with a thin layer of 
clay. In places the clay is more abundant and in such cases may 
weather out in the cliff, leaving cavities. The occurrence of a shell 
or other fossil capping the column is frequently mentioned by 
authors but such instances are rare in the Tennessee marble. 
In general the sutures are approximately parallel with the planes 
of bedding, but frequently they may be observed cutting the planes 
of sedimentation obliquely or even at right angles. In places they 
appear as a network intersecting the stone in all directions. In 
some portions of the rock the horizontal sutures are numerous and 
closely spaced while in others they are several feet apart. In the 
