CHARACTERIZATION AND PROVENANCE STUDY OF MARBLE FROM UDHRUH, SOUTHERN JORDAN

Abstract

This paper analyses and discusses marble found at the Roman site of Udhruh in southern Jordan. Marble is

highly valued in Roman culture, and while its use in architecture was widespread across the empire, there

were only a relatively few high quality sources. Southern Jordan was not one of these, and so Udhruh’s mar

ble was sufficiently highly regarded to be transported into the region from distant sources. Marble from the

site was studied and then sampled followed by petrological, mineralogical, and geochemical investigation

techniques to identify the possible source of marble. Results indicate that Udhruh’s marble is quite hard cal

citic marble exhibits exhibit xenoblastic texture, and the chemical composition indicates marble quarries in

Greece with a probable contribution from Petra.