Marbles of the World

Breche

Botticino

Red Onyx

Travertine

Marble sculpture

Raw, unpolished marble

Marble floor

Quarry

Marbles used in a Mosaic

Various marbles used in architecture.

Marble: noun - A metamorphic rock formed by alteration of limestone or dolomite, often irregularly colored by impurities, and used especially in architecture and sculpture. (tr.v., -bled, -bling, -bles.)
Faux marble or faux marbling (often incorrectly called marblizing) is a wall painting technique that imitates the color patterns of real marble. Marble dust can be combined with limestone or synthetic resins to make marble-type surface, a.k.a. Venetian plaster.

How It's Made: The 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. Source

History: We can find many ancient writings from great leaders of the past who spoke of marble and it's importance in society and decoration (the widespread use of marble began in the 1st century BCE). One such example were the words of the Roman Emperor Cesar Augustus (64 b. C. - 14 a. C.). Said Agustus, "I found a city of brick and left it a city of marble." The Roman conquest of the Mediterranean basin provided access to colored stones, namely from the regions of Tunisia, Turkey, and Greece. The Romans were also the first to use marble in slabs as a wall application. This is because it was the Romans who invented cement, which was needed to hold the marble tiles in place. Though the Roman Empire was well known for it's lavishly decorated buildings and artwork cast in stone, Egypt was the richest source of colored marbles, providing red, gray, and black granite, basalts and sedimentary stones, and even black volcanic glass (obsidian). Sardonyx was imported from as far as India. The most famous of ancient marbles include giallo antico, rosso porfido, lumachella, verde antico, pavonazzetto, verde cipollino, and broccatello. However, there are many types of marble known today. source

Quarry Locations: Quarries can be found in virtually anywhere on earth: North America, Canada, United States, Guatemala, Jamaica, Philippines, Taiwan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Mexico, South America, Montenegro, Norway, Portugal, Rome, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Europe, Argentina, Brazil, Albania, Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary Ireland, Italy, Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Asia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Oman, Pakistan, and Australia. Many U.S. cities have actually been named for the quarries that can be found there. To name a few, Marble, Minnesota; Marble, Colorado; and Marble Hill, New York.

Uses of Marble and Marble-like Substances:
-marble sculpture—forms formed from marble, often of the human figure.
-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 —the art of paper decoration.