A recent archaeometric study has traced the origins of marble artifacts unearthed from the early Byzantine villages of Porphyreon and Chhim, located in modern-day Lebanon.
The research examined 66 items, ranging from liturgical furnishings and architectural components to everyday household objects.
According to the study, “the marbles predominantly originated from the Prokonnesos and Dokimeion quarries in Turkey,” with a smaller portion sourced from Lesbos, Greece. The researchers observed a clear pattern in material selection, noting that “specific marbles were favored for certain types of objects and shapes, such as chancel screens, table tops, and mortars.” Notably, liturgical church items like chancel posts and screens were crafted exclusively from Prokonnesian marble, aligning with broader regional trends.
The analysis revealed that “the primary raw materials for these objects were marbles from Prokonnesos and Dokimeion.” In Porphyreon, wall veneers were largely made from Prokonnesian marble, though some darker tiles hinted at origins in Lesbos or Dokimeion, possibly indicating the recycling of Roman-era materials. The study also found that “elements within a single set combined different marbles,” as seen in the Chhim church altar and its supporting columns, which blended Prokonnesian and Dokimeian sources.
While these quarries are located in modern Turkey, their historical context stretches back far beyond the Byzantine era. During the Hellenistic period (323–31 BCE), Prokonnesos, on what is now Marmara Island, fell under Greek-influenced kingdoms like Bithynia, while Dokimeion, in Phrygia, was controlled by the Seleucids and later Pergamon. These regions, not yet Turkish, were part of a Greek-speaking world shaped by Alexander the Great’s conquests. Though the marbles in this study reflect Byzantine use, their quarries’ significance began in this earlier Hellenistic era, later flourishing under Roman and Byzantine rule.
The research employed stable isotope and petrographic techniques, with the authors noting that “δ13C and δ18O values, along with most 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7081–0.7082), align with Dokimeion marble characteristics.” Beyond religious contexts, discoveries of mortars and table tops underscored marble’s versatility in secular settings. The researchers concluded that “this study reveals a nuanced pattern, where marble circulation extended beyond ecclesiastical purposes, reflecting a broader and more intricate use in these communities.”