Natural stones are rock formations formed by nature. These stones are naturally formed by enormous pressure underground. Natural stones were used in decoration and sculpture from the time civilization was born. These natural stones have been tested for their natural beauty. Ancient buildings and monuments made of natural stones during the first civilizations still stand tall narrating the beauty and durability of natural stones.

Modern people want their home to stand out from the rest and they used natural stones for their floors and walls to achieve timeless beauty.

Granite and marble are two main natural stones widely used in the stone industry. These stones are used both in constructions and in monumental sculpture. Commercially, these stones are quarried for use as architectural stones for flooring, cladding, curbstone, countertops and much more for use around the home.

Granite is a very abundant igneous rock. Granite texture is generally medium to coarse grained. The porphyritic texture is very common in granitic rocks. Various colors of granite stones are widely available and most of the time granite is available as a massive rock. The beauty of granite is attributed to deposits such as quartz, feldspar, and mica. Consistent granite has the same pattern throughout the stone. Variegated granite has several veins that form different patterns that are not easy to match.

It was the ancient Egyptians who extracted granite exclusively for use in various constructions. Most of its monuments were built with granite and limestone. The only remaining ancient wonder, the Great Pyramid of Cheops, was built from limestone. The famous pharaoh, which is a symbol of the outstanding Egyptian civilization, was built from granite blocks. The Egyptians had wonderful sculpting skills and the pharaoh’s granite blocks were sewn together in such a perfect way that you can’t slip a piece of paper between the rocks.

Pure white marble is a very pure limestone metamorphic rock. Marble is widely found in various countries like Belgium, France, Great Britain, Greece, India, Spain, and Italy. Since classical times, pure white marble was considered the best of its kind. At first, only white marble was considered worthy and colored marble was considered impure. However, this belief was short-lived because very soon, ancient civilizations also appreciated colored marbles and used them in various monuments and sculptures, although pure white marble is always considered high. Freshly quarried marble is easy to carve, and the stone hardens as it ages.

The ancient Greeks had a very advanced civilization and were really fascinated with marble. The best architecture and sculpture are specialties of Greek architecture and marble has been used in various Greek buildings. Exquisite statues with detailed carvings were made from marble. The buildings built with marble lasted several ages. The Parthenon, which was built between 441 and 437 BC. C., is considered a symbol of ancient Greek civilization and this dazzling building was built from Pentelicon marble.

The Greek empire used marble a lot in its constructions. The Temple of Artemis is one of the ancient wonders of the world and consists of 127 marble columns, each of which is 5 stories high. It was the first large structure made of marble. The magnificent construction was destroyed by various civilizations that took over Greece, but you can still find foundations and some wonderful marble columns.

When natural stones were widely used in the construction of monuments and temples, it was the Greek empire that brought marble to personal use. References to marble-lined baths and pools can be seen in ancient literature. Thassos marble was used extensively in bathrooms and this type of marble is still quarried today for commercial uses. Marble constructions were also popular in India and the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, was built with pure white marble stones.

After the Egyptian and Greek civilizations did some wonders with natural granite and marble stones, the Roman Empire decided to try both granite and marble. Many of the roads in the Roman Empire were built with granite. Public baths became popular in Rome and these baths were made of granite. The pantheon in Rome used granite stones for the columns and you can see these columns standing tall even today.

The Romans loved granite and marble for different reasons. Granite was used a lot for construction because the stone is very durable and strong. Marble was used mainly for aesthetic reasons because the Romans believed that marble was the most beautiful stone. The building pattern of the Egyptians and Greeks was different from that of the Romans. While earlier civilizations used solid granite and marble stones to build constructions, the Romans used bricks and mortar for buildings and then covered them with marble and granite slabs. It is for this reason that the Romans were able to build marble cities in a short time.

The Renaissance period is a golden period for all kinds of works of art. Artists and sculptors were interested in using natural stones for their works of art. Extraction methods improved over time and technical use was invented. Innovative and novel users of natural stones increased during the Renaissance period. The famous Michelangelo made several beautiful marble sculptures. Ornate decorations made with marble and granite were used to decorate churches, temples, and other buildings of a magnificent nature. Meanwhile, natural stones were carved into decorative pieces for use in the home.

It was only during modern times that natural stones came close to mankind. Quarrying techniques were much improved and there was no need for men to die in quarries handling dynamite. Innovative technologies were used in the extraction of natural stones. Also, the world began to think about environmentally friendly materials for building houses. Architects and designers were too enthusiastic about the natural stones used in the construction of monuments. In the last decade, people preferred to use more durable yet elegant materials to build houses.

Marble and granite are available in various patterns and colors and it was not easy to find the same pattern of stones. This uniqueness of natural stones made people want more use of natural stones. In ancient times, marble and granite were used for cladding and decoration. People relied on durable stones and laid granite and marble floors. Aside from its bathrooms, the living room, bedroom, and other rooms in the house had natural stone floors.

Although natural stones add exquisite beauty to the home, they are very porous in nature. Hard substances can easily damage these natural stones. However, thanks to the latest technologies, it is possible to add more strength to the stones and seal the porous nature so that these stones can be widely used in homes. It was only during the last few years that marble and granite countertops became popular.

Natural and exquisite stones that were used only by kings and emperors are now available to a common man because tiles made from natural stones are now much more affordable. Consumers should be very careful when purchasing marble and granite tiles and countertops because natural stones are now also synthetically manufactured. If you prefer aesthetic beauty for his elegant family, always be sure to buy natural stones that were widely favored by aristocrats of the past.

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