Delos Archaeological Marbles: A Preliminary Geochemistry‐Based Quarry Provenance Study

This paper presents for the first time chemical data on ancient (Antiquity period) marble quarries of Delos Island and some architectural marbles from its famous exceptionally well-preserved archaeological site. geological substratum is mostly composed granite, including very few decametric enclaves. However, Delian architecture dominated by gneiss marbles. A large quantity had thus to be imported neighbouring Cycladic Islands continental Greece. Their provenances remain unknown. Several analytical methods have been developed in archaeometry years determine origin marbles, but they are generally destructive. reports a methodology based hand-held portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) analyser detect major trace elements often used provenance studies. Drawbacks using those limitations attached instruments were frequently discussed. Here usefulness pXRF research was tested association with principal component analysis (PCA). Two artefacts presumed selected results showed that one them came undoubtedly quarry while other not local origin. protocol appeared powerful tool when conventional destructive analyses precluded.