Egyptian Alabaster
Stonework was one of the earliest industries in ancient Egypt. A natural wealth of decorative stone was first exploited during the Pre-Dynastic period (4,000 BC) and various quarry sites yielded basalt, breccia, granite, porphyry, limestone and alabaster. Two ancient alabaster quarry sites have been identified, one at Wadi Gera and the other near Helena and in an area south of Mania. While Egyptian alabaster, geologically known as Calcium carbonate, was worked from the Pre-Dynastic time on, it was most popular during the New Kingdom. The use of alabaster in Egypt dates well back into the Pharaonic period of Egyptian history, and it is evident when one visits the temples, tombs and museums in Egypt.
Tags: ancient Egyptian alabaster, ancient limestone, furnishing your home, stonework