Minero-Petrographic Characterization of Chianocco Marble Employed for Palazzo Madama Façade in Turin (Northwest Italy)

Francesca Gambino, Alessandro Borghi, Anna d’Atri, Luca Martire, Martina Cavallo, Lorenzo Appolonia and Paola Croveri
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Francesca Gambino: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Turin, Via Valperga Caluso 35, 10125 Torino, Italy
Alessandro Borghi: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Turin, Via Valperga Caluso 35, 10125 Torino, Italy
Anna d’Atri: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Turin, Via Valperga Caluso 35, 10125 Torino, Italy
Luca Martire: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Turin, Via Valperga Caluso 35, 10125 Torino, Italy
Martina Cavallo: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Turin, Via Valperga Caluso 35, 10125 Torino, Italy
Lorenzo Appolonia: Centro Conservazione e Restauro “La Venaria Reale”, Via XX Settembre 18, 10078 Venaria Reale (TO), Italy
Paola Croveri: Centro Conservazione e Restauro “La Venaria Reale”, Via XX Settembre 18, 10078 Venaria Reale (TO), Italy

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 15, 1-16

Abstract: The study of ancient marble plays an important role in the interpretation of historical and archaeological sites and gives interesting information about building materials used in ancient times and their trade routes. The present work focuses on Chianocco marble that represents one of the most important ancient white marbles for cultural heritage exploited in the Piedmont region (Northwest Italy) and employed for the Palazzo Madama façade. A multi-analytical study based on petrographic (optical and scanning electron microscopy), electron microprobe, cathodoluminescence and stable isotope analyses was carried out on these marbles in order to perform an archaeometric study. Chianocco marble was used in Turin during the baroque era by the Savoy architect Filippo Juvarra (1678–1736) in historical buildings, such as the façade of the Palazzo Madama, the plinth of the façade of the town Cathedral and the columns (now plastered) of the portico of Piazza San Carlo. This stone is a dolomitic rock belonging to the Mesozoic cover of the Dora Maira Massif (Pennidic Unit). It shows a vuggy fabric characterized by a vacuolar texture due to tectonic brecciation and subsequent selective dissolution during subaerial exposure. This kind of research is useful to highlight the importance of the use of local stones as building materials and to investigate stone materials for the restoration and maintenance of historical buildings.

Keywords: Chianocco marble; heritage stone; archaeometry; Western Alps; isotopic analysis; SEM-EDS (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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