CARRARA MARBLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 August 1939, Page 6

CARRARA MARBLE

PRODUCTION OF NORTH ITALY.

For more than 2000 years beautiful white marble has been quarried at Carrara, in North Italy. The product is so pure in colour that the uncovered masses in the quarrii-s on the sides of the mountain glisten like snow.

Tin® marble is quarried by means of explosives, only [lawless blocks being used. These are roughly squared and lowered down the slopes on sledges hejd steadily b.v means of ropes passed round posts. At the bottom they arc loaded on bullock curt.-; for transport to the sawmills. The blocks are then sawn to the required .shapes and c’tesiiatched to their destinations. Most are loaded on railway 1 rucks, slab-shaped pieces being placed in an upright position to prevent datnago; but many arc transported by wale". Tim vessels employed are wooden sailing boats, and the marble is placed deep in their holds. Occa- '■ ionall.v ; •<■.■■: a of extraordinary . ize are wanted, anti specia.i.. means of conveyini’, tiv. i i aiv then devised. Thu.;, when an 'moriiuins obeiisx was required for a statin' of Signor Mii'm link to be erected in Rome, line block selected was shipped in a specially-built barge-like beat. Altogether Hie industry employs !5.()()u workmen. An inicresfhi.i': feature is :> school w'nere the principles of seulntme are free of ehar,the only cost to the pupils being '.he wry low price <J the l>l<.. i;s marbl:' they use. Education is ijirther enhanced by periodical visits u. the Carrara Museum, where IL;: wo! !:s of many renowned sculptors are ex'rib'ied.