| Most people know what marble countertops are, | | | | that have been caught in the stone, such as |
| but just where does this beautiful material | | | | clay, silt, sand, iron oxides or chert. Green |
| come from? It comes from the Earth, but | | | | marble usually comes about because of |
| there's more to it than that. While marble is | | | | serpentine in the rock, which results from |
| most often used for kitchen countertop | | | | limestone that was high in magnesium content |
| fabrication and installation, as well as for | | | | or dolostone with silica impurities. |
| large monuments and museums, it has a vastly | | | | |
| complex history. Marble has been used | | | | Marble without any color is made of the |
| throughout the centuries, for everything from | | | | purest calcium carbonate, which is most |
| works of art, pyramid decoration and, of | | | | popular for kitchen countertop fabrication |
| course, today's marble countertops. | | | | and installation. The clear marble is also |
| | | | popular for sculptures. The ancient Greeks |
| The stone we call marble is created through | | | | were some of the first people to use marble |
| the metamorphosis of limestone or dolostone, | | | | for sculpture and other purposes, and so the |
| and is made of calcite. Marble comes to exist | | | | name of the stone is also derived from |
| from rare contact with those sedimentary | | | | ancient Greek language. The word "marble" |
| carbonate rocks, which causes the rock to | | | | comes from the Greek "marmaros," which means |
| completely re-crystallize into an | | | | "shining stone." This is also the origin for |
| interlocking mosaic of calcite, aragonite and | | | | the English word "marmoreal" which means |
| or dolomite crystals. The temperatures and | | | | "marble-like." |
| pressures that are necessary for marble to be | | | | |
| formed usually destroy any fossils and | | | | The use of marble for so many ancient Greek |
| sediment that were in the original rock. This | | | | and Roman works of art has made the stone |
| means the material that people use for | | | | somewhat of a symbol for classic design and |
| kitchen countertop fabrication and | | | | high fashion. This is why marble countertops |
| installation will be as clean and solid as | | | | are still associated with upper class homes, |
| possible. | | | | though marble is often used sparingly |
| | | | throughout many more modest home designs. In |
| Other than marble countertops, the material | | | | folklore, marble is also often associated |
| is also very often used for sculptures. The | | | | with the astrological sign of Gemini and pure |
| word marble that we use today typically | | | | white marble is an emblem of purity. It is |
| refers to pure white marble, which comes from | | | | also an emblem of immortality, and an insurer |
| the purest limestone. There are other colors | | | | of success in education. For all these |
| of marble that people use for sculptures and | | | | reasons, marble is a material that has a |
| kitchen countertops, though. Other colors of | | | | reputation for strength, purity, beauty, |
| marble usually come about due to minerals | | | | longevity and style. |