Dictionary:

marble

  (mär'bəl)

1. 1. A metamorphic rock formed by alteration of limestone or dolomite, often irregularly colored by impurities, and used especially in architecture and sculpture.
   2. A piece of this rock.
   3. A sculpture made from this rock.
2. Something resembling or suggesting metamorphic rock, as in being very hard, smooth, or cold: a heart of marble; a brow of marble.
3. Games.
   1. A small hard ball, usually of glass, used in children's games.
   2. marbles (used with a sing. verb) Any of various games played with marbles.
4. marbles (used with a sing. verb) Slang. Common sense; sanity: completely lost his marbles after the stock market crash.
5. Marbling.

To mottle and streak (paper, for example) with colors and veins in imitation of marble.

1. Composed of metamorphic rock: a marble hearth.
2. Resembling metamorphic rock in consistency, texture, venation, color, or coldness.

[Middle English, from Old French marbre, from Latin marmor, from Greek marmaros.]

A term applied commercially to any limestone or dolomite taking polish. Marble is extensively used for building and ornamental purposes. See also Dolomite; Limestone.

In petrography the term marble is applied to metamorphic rocks composed of recrystallized calcite or dolomite. Schistosity, often controlled by the original bedding, is usually weak except in impure micaceous or tremolite-bearing types. Calcite (marble) deforms readily by plastic flow even at low temperatures. Therefore, granulation is rare, and instead of schistosity there develops a flow structure characterized by elongation and bending of the grains concomitant with a strong development of twin lamellae. See also Metamorphic rocks; Mineralogy; Schist.

Pure marbles attaining 99% calcium carbonate, CaCO₃, are often formed by simple recrystallization of sedimentary limestone. Dolomite marbles are usually formed by metasomatism. See also Calcite; Dolomite; Metasomatism.

noun

A healthy mental state. lucidity, lucidness, mind, reason, saneness, sanity, sense (often used in plural), soundness, wit (used in plural). See sane/insane.

For more information on marble, visit Britannica.com.

The early history of marbles is still obscure. Certainly, in the ancient world children played games rolling nuts, and coloured clay balls have been found in Egyptian tombs, but it is not known for sure what they were used for. It seems unlikely that such a simple and obvious game did not occur to people before the first definite references (as tribekugeln) in 13th century Germany, and in Bruegel's picture of children's games in 1560. The first mention in English calls the game ‘bowling-stones’, but this is a translation by Charles Hoole of Comenius's Orbis Pictus (1659). There are numerous variants of marbles play, and usually a local specialist terminology to go with each.

The marbles available in England in the late 17th century were probably made of actual marble, or at least alabaster, but later materials include earthenware, painted porcelain (imported from Germany), stone, and clay. The modern glass marbles, with the intriguing coloured swirl in the middle, emerged in the 1840s, made possible by developments in glass manufacture. Once these appeared they rapidly became more prized than the drab clay marbles prevalent at the time, and gradually superseded them as mass production (latterly usually abroad) brought the price down. Some players used metal ball-bearings, but others refused to play with anyone using such things as they could too easily destroy the glass or clay marbles. Another source of supply was the round stopper used in early fizzy-drink bottles. Local names include: Taws, Alleys (Blood-alleys had a streak of red through them), Cat's eyes, and Marvels.

Marbles has been a children's game for a very long time, but there are a few instances of its survival in the adult sphere, particularly in Sussex, where a well-known annual Good Friday championship match takes place at Tinsley Green, and another is held at Battle.

Bibliography
The full bibliography list is available here.

• Opie and Opie, 1997: 17-55
• Gomme, 1894: i. 364 (and other pages)
• Wales, 1990: 52-3

A metamorphic rock composed largely of calcite or dolomite; often highly polished to enhance its appearance; available in different colors that result from differences in mineral content.

For the ball used in the child's game, see marbles.

Venus de Milo, front.

Marble is a nonfoliated metamorphic rock resulting from the metamorphism of limestone, composed mostly of calcite (a crystalline form of calcium carbonate, CaCO₃). It is extensively used for sculpture, as a building material, and in many other applications. The word "marble" is colloquially used to refer to many other stones that are capable of taking a high polish.

Faux marble or faux marbling is a wall painting technique that imitates the color patterns of real marble (not to be confused with paper marbling). Marble dust can be combined with cement or synthetic resins to make reconstituted or cultured marble.

Places named after the stone include Marble Arch, London; the Sea of Marmara; India's Marble Rocks; and the towns of Marble, Minnesota; Marble, Colorado; and Marble Hill, Manhattan, New York. The Elgin Marbles are marble sculptures from the Parthenon that are on display in the British Museum. They were brought to Britain by the Earl of Elgin.

Marble.

Origins

Marble is a metamorphic rock resulting from regional or rarely contact metamorphism of sedimentary carbonate rocks, either limestone or dolostone, or metamorphism of older marble. This metamorphic process causes a complete recrystallization of the original rock into an interlocking mosaic of calcite, aragonite and/or dolomite crystals. The temperatures and pressures necessary to form marble usually destroy any fossils and sedimentary textures present in the original rock.

Pure white marble is the result of metamorphism of very pure limestones. The characteristic swirls and veins of many colored marble varieties are usually due to various mineral impurities such as clay, silt, sand, iron oxides, or chert which were originally present as grains or layers in the limestone. Green coloration is often due to serpentine resulting from originally high magnesium limestone or dolostone with silica impurities. These various impurities have been mobilized and recrystallized by the intense pressure and heat of the metamorphism.

Kinds of marble

Natural patterns on the polished surface of "landscape marble" can resemble a city skyline or even trees (see photo).

Blocks of cut marble at the historic mill in Marble, Colorado

Black Dębnik marble portal (17th century) of St. Wojciech's Church in Kraków

Marble from Italy

Some historically important kinds of marble, named after the locations of their quarries, include

• Beijing White from China
• Black Marble from Dębnik, Poland
• Black Marble from Kilkenny, Ireland
• Boticena and Onyx(Green) from Pakistan
• Brač from the island of Brač, Croatia
• Brown marble from Chęciny, Poland
• Carrara and Luni from Italy
• Connemara from Ireland
• Danby from Vermont
• Durango Marble from Coyote Quarry, Mexico
• Fauske from Norway
• Llano Pink from Central Texas
• Macael from Spain
• Makrana from India
• Nabresina, from near Trieste
• Paros from Greece
• Penteli from Greece
• Proconnesus from Turkey
• Rouge de Rance from Rance, Belgium
• Royal White from China
• Thassos from Greece
• Vietnam White from Vietnam
• Yule from Colorado

White marbles, like Carrara in Italy, Royal White and Beijing White in China, have been prized for sculpture since classical times. This preference has to do with the softness and relative isotropy and homogeneity, and a relative resistance to shattering. Also, the low index of refraction of calcite allows light to penetrate several millimeters into the stone before being scattered out, resulting in the characteristic "waxy" look which gives "life" to marble sculptures of the human body.

Construction marble

In the construction, specifically the dimension stone trade, the term "marble" is used for any massive, crystalline calcitic rock (and some non-calcitic rocks) useful as building stone. For example, "Tennessee marble" is really a massive, highly fossiliferous gray to pink to maroon Ordovician dolostone that geologists call the Holston Formation.

Industrial use of marble

Colorless or light-colored marbles are a very pure source of calcium carbonate, which is used in a wide variety of industries. Finely ground marble or calcium carbonate powder is a component in paper, and in consumer products such as toothpaste, plastics, and paints. Ground calcium carbonate can be made from limestone, chalk, and marble; about three-quarters of the ground calcium carbonate worldwide is made from marble. Ground calcium carbonate is used as a coating pigment for paper because of its high brightness and as a paper filler because it strengthens the sheet and imparts high brightness. Ground calcium carbonate is used in consumer products such as a food additive, in toothpaste, and as an inert filler in pills. It is used in plastics because it imparts stiffness, impact strength, dimensional stability, and thermal conductivity. It is used in paints because it is a good filler and extender, has high brightness, and is weather resistant. However, the growth in demand for ground calcium carbonate in the last decade has mostly been for a coating pigment in paper.

Calcium carbonate can also be reduced under high heat to calcium oxide (also known as "lime"), which has many applications including being a primary component of most cement.

Production

According to the United States Geological Survey, U.S. dimension marble production in 2005 was 207,000 tonnes valued at $18.9 million. Crushed marble production (for aggregate and industrial uses) was 7.76 million tonnes valued at $58.7 million, of which 4.8 million tonnes was finely ground calcium carbonate and the rest was construction aggregate. U.S. dimension marble demand is about 1.3 million tonnes. The DSAN World Demand for (finished) Marble Index has shown a growth of 10.5% annually for the 2000–2005 period. The largest dimension marble application is tile. The U.S. makes very little marble tile. Most marble tile is made in mammoth, completely automated plants that operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week in places such as Italy (for example, in Viareggio) and China.

Etymology

The word "marble" derives from the Greek marmaros, "shining stone" (Oxford English Dictionary). This stem is also the basis for the English word "marmoreal" meaning "marble-like".

Cultural associations

As the favorite medium for Greek and Roman sculptors and architects (see classical sculpture), marble has become a cultural symbol of tradition and refined taste. Its extremely varied and colorful patterns make it a favorite decorative material, and it is often imitated in background patterns for computer displays, etc.

In folklore, marble is associated with the astrological sign of Gemini. Pure white marble is an emblem of purity. It is also an emblem of immortality, and an insurer of success in education.

See also

• list of minerals
• building material
• calcium carbonate
• dimension stone
• limestone
• travertine
• alabaster
• granite
• sandstone
• marble sculpture
• Pietre dure—inlaying with marble and other stones.
• faux marbling—painting surfaces to look like marble.
• scagliola—imitating marble with plasterwork.
• cultured marble—marble powder with a binder.
• paper marbling
• Stones of India Marble
• Quarry

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Marble

• Tips for cleaning marble
• Learning to carve by Marc Levoy.
• Marmo Quarry in the Massa-Carrara region, Italy
• USGS Minerals Yearbook: Stone, Dimension
• USGS Minerals Yearbook: Stone, Crushed
• Dimension Stone Advocate News (DSAN)
• London builders: Marble is a glittering stone.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
n. - marmor, marmor-, marmorlignende
v. tr. - marmorere, male som marmor
adj. - marmoreret

idioms:

• loose one's marbles    blive gak/skør

Nederlands (Dutch)
knikker, (mv) knikkerspel, marmer, iets van marmer, ijs (figuurlijk), gemarmerde tekening, combinatie van vet en mager in vlees, (mv) verstand, marmeren beeld, marmeren, gemarmerd, een gemarmerd uiterlijk geven aan

Français (French)
n. - marbre, bille (jeux), (Art) marbre (sculpture)
v. tr. - marbrer
adj. - de marbre, en marbre

idioms:

• loose one's marbles    perdre la boule

Deutsch (German)
n. - Murmel, Marmor
adj. - aus Marmor, Marmor-
v. - marmorieren

idioms:

• loose one's marbles    nicht alle Tassen im Schrank haben

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - μάρμαρο, γλυπτό, βόλος, γκαζά, μπίλια
adj. - μαρμαρένιος, (μτφ.) ψυχρός
v. - επιμαρμαρώνω

idioms:

• loose one's marbles    τρελαίνομαι

Italiano (Italian)
biglia, marmo, marmoreo

idioms:

• loose one's marbles    uscire fuori di cervello

Português (Portuguese)
n. - mármore (m), bola de gude (f)
adj. - marmóreo
v. - marmorizar

idioms:

• loose one's marbles    pirar (gír.)

Русский (Russian)
окрашивать под мрамор, мрамор, мраморный

idioms:

• loose one's marbles    рехнуться

Español (Spanish)
n. - canica, bolita, mármol
v. tr. - jaspear
adj. - de mármol, marmóreo

idioms:

• loose one's marbles    perder la chaveta

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - marmor, kula, marmorering
adj. - marmor-, marmorerad
v. - marmorera

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
大理石, 雕刻品, 石弹, 使具有大理石花纹, 大理石的, 坚硬的, 冷酷无情的

idioms:

• loose one's marbles    丧失理智

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 大理石, 雕刻品, 石彈
v. tr. - 使具有大理石花紋
adj. - 大理石的, 堅硬的, 冷酷無情的

idioms:

• loose one's marbles    喪失理智

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 구슬, 대리석, 지구, 이성
v. tr. - 대리석처럼 만들다
adj. - 딱딱한, 흰색의, 대리석[과 같은]

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 大理石, 大理石彫刻物, ビー玉, おはじき
adj. - 大理石の, 堅い, 大理石のようになめらかな
v. - 大理石模様にする, 霜降りにする

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) رخام, مرمر (صفه) مرمري, رخامي (فعل) يرصع بالرخام‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮שיש, גולה, תכונות שכליות של אדם (עגה), דבר העשוי שיש או מזכיר שיש בתכונותיו, פסלים (באוסף)‬
v. tr. - ‮הכתים, צבע, עשוי שכבות מתחלפות של שומן ובשר רזה‬
adj. - ‮שיישי, קשה, חלק, קר‬

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