Ancient Decorative Stones: “Federico Pescetto and Pio De Santis Collections”
The “ Ancient Decorative Stones: Federico Pescetto and Pio De Santis Collections” was published in 1986 by the Geological Survey of Italy (Ministry of Industry) and reprinted in 2002 by the Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri. It was then published online in 2013 on ISPRA’s Virtual Museum, as it is one of the most prestigious publications dedicated to the Collections of the Geological Survey of Italy.
The work is the first result of a broader project that originally aimed at providing a review of the 1904 Catalogue of the Royal Geological Office. The publication analyzes and illustrates the first part of a collection of ornamental stones, pertaining to Geological Survey Collections, of remarkable value, extension and variety, counted among the most important and best known collections of ancient "marbles" in the world. In particular, it takes into account the lithotypes related to: hard, semi-hard and semi-precious stones; Granite, Porphyry, Basalt and Serpentinites s.s., providing also a description of the mining history and of the use of ornamental stones in Churches and Basilicas of Rome.
The authors Giorgio Giardini and Silvia Colasante also reviewed the best-known lithotypes utilized in ancient times and the idioms used by the Roman marble artisans. They also give all sort of information about them, including the monuments of Rome where they have been used and can still be seen (see also index and references ).
The book is bilingual (Italian and English) and contains quotations in Latin and Greek, so demonstrating the wide knowledge and use of them by the Greek and the Roman world as well as by the rich families in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The Appendix also contains relevant information.
Ancient Decorative Stones: “Federico Pescetto and Pio De Santis Collections”
The Pescetto Collection
Class I: Gemstones, Precious and Semiprecious stones
Cap. 4.1.1 - Species: Lazurite (Lapis Cyanus)
Cap. 4.1.2 - Species: Fluorite (Murrha, Spato Fluore)
Cap. 4.1.3 - Species: Labradorite (Lapis Mithrax)
Cap. 4.1.4 - Species: Amethyst ( Lapis Amethystus)
Cap. 4.1.5 - Species: Agate (Achates)
Cap. 4.1.6 - Species:Jasper (Japis, Mrmora Tauromenitana)
Cap. 4.1.7 - Species: Silicified Wood (Lithoxilon)
Classe II: Porphyrites and Basalts
Cap. 4.2 - 4.2.1 - Species: Antique "Red Porphyry" (Lapis Porphytes)
Cap. 4.2.2 - Species: Laconia "Antique Green" Porphyry (improperly named Serpentine) (Lapis Lacedaemonius)
Cap. 4.2.3 - Species: Basalt (Lapis Basanites, Lapis Aethiopicus)
Classe III: Granites
Cap. 4.3 - 4.3.1 - 4.3.2 Species: Pinnacles Red Granites (Lapis Pyrrhopoecilus) - Species: Striped and Minute Egyptian Granites
Cap. 4.3.3 - Species: Moulded Red Granite
Cap. 4.3.4 - 4.3.5 - 4.3.6 - 4.3.7 - Species: Black and White of the Forum (from Syene, Egypt) (Lapis Psaronius) - Species: Portuense and Ostiense Granites - Species: Sempione Granites - Species: Purple Granites
Cap. 4.3.8 - Species: Black and White Granites and Green (Lapis Psaronius)
Cap. 4.3.9 - 4.3.10 - Species: Grey Granites (Lapis Syenites) - Species: Orbicular Grenite
Classe IV: Serpentines (proper)
Cap. 4.4 - 4.4.1 Species: Hard and Semihard Serpentines
Cap. 4.4.2 - Species: “Green Prato” Serpentines
Cap. 4.4.3 - Species: Polcevera Serpentines (Marmora Ligustica)
Cap. 4.4.4 - Specie: Levanto Serpentines
Cap. 4.4.5 - Specie: Frog-Green Serpentines (Lapis Ophites) and Lanceolate Serpentines (Lapis Augusteus)
Cap. 4.4.6 - Specie: Antique Green (Lapis Atracius, Lapis Thessalium)
The Pio De Santis Collection
Class I: Semiprecious stones
Cap. 5 - 5.1 - 5.2 - 5.2.1 - 5.2.2 - 5.2.3 - 5.2.4 - 5.2.5 - Species: Introduction to the De Santis collection - Classe I: Pietre Dure - Species: Lazurite (Lapis Cyanus) - Species: Labradorite (Lapis Mithrax) - Species: Amethyst (Lapis Amethystus) - Species: Malachite (Molochitis) - Species:Rock Crystal-Yaline Quartz (Crystallus) (Crystallus)
Cap. 5.2.6 - 5.2.7 - 5.2.8 - 5.2.9 - 5.2.10 - Species: Sandstone (Harenae) - Species: Agate (Achates) - Species: Jasper (Jaspis) - Species: Silicified Wood (Lithoxilon) - Species: Sileceous Puddingstone
Classe II: Porphyry, Basalt and Obsidian
Cap. 5.3 - 5.3.1 - 5.3.2 - Species: Antique “Red Porphyry” (Lapis Porphyites) - Species: Laconia "Antique Green" Porphyry (improperly named serpentine), (Lapis Lacedaemonius)
Cap. 5.3.3 - Species: Basalt (Lapis Basanites) and Obsidian (Lapis Obsianus)
Classe III: Granites
Cap. 5.4 - 5.4.1 - Species: Pinnacles Red Granite (Lapis Pyrrohopecilus)
Classe IV: Serpentines
Cap. 5.5 - 5.5.1 - 5.5.2 - 5.5.3 - 5.5.4 - 5.5.5 - Species: Hard and Semihard Serpentines (noble serpentines) - Species: Polcevera Serpentines (Marmora Ligustica) - Species: Levanto Serpentines - Species: Frog-Green Serpentines (Lapis Ophites) - Species: Antique Green (Lapis Atracius, Lapis Thessalium)