Archaeometric investigations on marble provenance of two statues from the newly uncovered Roman bath at the center of the historical Amman, Jordan

Abstract

This research investigates the quarry origin of the white marble used to sculpt two draped female statues found in the newly uncovered Roman bath at the center of the ancient city of Rabbath-Ammon (Philadelphia, Amman). It aims to shed more light on the trade and origin of the marble used for sculpture at the city during its prosperous period (2nd −3rd c. AD). The use of macroscopic examination and multiple analytical techniques (X-ray diffractometry, optical microscopy, C13 and O18 isotope mass spectrometry) showed that both statues were carved out of the dolomitic Thasian-3 marble quarries at Cape Vathy, Thasos Island, Greece. The stylistic features of the two statues that were common during the late 2nd and early 3rd c. AD and the wide use and distribution of this marble in Jordan during the 2nd and 3rd c. AD might be an indication to date them to the same period of the Roman times. The assigned date concords with the time of expansion, large construction activity and prosperity of the city and the use of imported and luxury stones to carve statues and embellish the structures of the city.