A new archaeometric study of 66 marble artifacts from the early Byzantine villages of Porphyreon and Chhim in Lebanon reveals their origins in the Prokonnesos and Dokimeion quarries of modern Turkey, with some from Lesbos, Greece. Highlighting a preference for specific marbles in items like chancel screens and table tops, the research also traces the quarries’ Hellenistic roots, when they thrived under Greek-influenced kingdoms before their Byzantine prominence. The findings showcase a complex marble trade extending beyond religious use.
Greek News