The Marbles - Area 12 - Egyptian alabaster (lapis onyx)
Egyptian onyx, one of the most prized alabasters of antiquity, was used from a very early period both for furnishings and as an architectural decoration for various types of buildings, in particular luxurious residences.
Lucan provides a vivid description of the sumptuous palace of Cleopatra, in whose floors onyx was used in abundance.
Egyptian alabaster is often depicted in Roman wall paintings, as in the Casa dei Grifi on the Palatine, showing that it was used for revetment panels; the quarried blocks on display here must have been destined for the production of such panels.
See also:
- The marbles
- The Marbles - Area 1 - Various white marbles
- The Marbles - Area 2 - Africano (marmor luculleum)
- The Marbles - Area 3 - Africano (marmor luculleum)
- The Marbles - Area 4 - Various white marbles
- The Marbles - Area 5 - Cipollino (marmor carystium)
- The Marbles - Area 6 - Cipollino (marmor carystium)
- The Marbles - Area 7 - Marbles from Via Redipuglia
- The Marbles - Area 8 - Bigio africanato
- The Marbles - Area 9 - Pavonazzetto (marmor phrygium)
- The Marbles - Area 10 - Portasanta (marmor chium)
- The Marbles - Area 11 - Giallo antico (marmor numidicum) and various alabasters
- The Marbles - Area 12 - Egyptian alabaster (lapis onyx)
- The Marbles - Area 13 - Granito troadense (marmor troadensium), bigio di Lesbo (marmor lesbium) and grey granite from the island of Elba
- The Marbles - Area 14 - Breccia dorata, verde antico, fior di pesco, breccia di Sciro, serpentina moschinata, marmo bigio
- The Marbles - Area 15 - Various marbles