h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Alabaster - A806159
Author: Azara - U172739

A short entry on a very under-rated material!

Azara

So, nothing about skins then?

A very interesting entry, and I wouldn't know what else to add to it really, apart from a little footnote with a few details about the Moh scale

There is a rivalry between sculptors of marble and alabaster. Alabaster sculptors say that marble lacks light and life and a marble statue turns any place into a tomb. And we marble sculptors say that they are little better than makers of figurines and tourist trinkets.

This is an interesting article, Azara. You mention the Alabaster of Ancient Egypt. Alabaster is still a very common material for tourist trinkets in Egypt, and is always a streaky orange and white colour. Is this the ancient alabaster or is it a variety of the modern stuff?

I'll try and check that, Gnomon. Of course if anyone actually had a piece of modern Egyptian alabaster, the easiest thing to do would be to scratch the base with a fingernail... I tried this on some little pieces of Volterran alabaster, and it really did work!

Azara

Short and interesting, Azara

Just had a quick read (I'm supposed to be packing for our camping holiday). Is old style alabaster still mined? Is it called something else now, or are both old style and new gypsum stuff both called alabaster. Where is the old style stuff mined - or is it no longer found?

I heard that the world's main source was not Volterra but somewhere in Spain. The local craftsmen in Volterra complained to me about the big retail stores that sell cheap stuff made from Spanish alabaster to ignorant tourists who don't know the difference, and this was putting the locals out of business. They said Volterran alabaster was becoming rare and expensive, hence the switch to cheap mass produced Spanish stuff.

Feel free to use any of this in the article, but you might want to research it to make sure of its veracity. The marble vs. alabaster rivalry is quite true, though.

I've made number of changes, to try and deal with all the comments:

-I've added a footnote on the Moh scale.

-I've explained that the calcite alabaster is more usually called onyx, and is still mined in Egypt, where it does appear to be still sold as 'alabaster'.

-I've checked about the mines, and il viaggatore is quite right, the Spanish supply seems to be outdoing the older Volterran mines. So I've changed the last section to say that.

Azara

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YAY! for Azara!

BTW, was alabaster used for the windows in a palace in Crete built by Mussolini? I've a memory of going in and thinking - alabaster, what a strange material for a window. Can't remember the name of the building - if it wasn't called a palace, it was built along the lines of one.

Thanks!

ZSF, I don't know about the palace in Crete - I did see some (small) alabaster windows in the cathedral in Volterra. I think the weathering might be a ral problem!

Azara

As I remember it, Azara (and bear in mind it was a long time ago), there were two windows, quite small and up high. I think they were heavily rebated, so weathering may not have been such a problem. Also as I think the place was built in wartime, there's not been that much time for weathering.

Not sure how I could find out about it and it's probably too late to include in this entry, now as it's been recommended!