Marble provenance investigation of the Roman Sabine sarcophagus

Abstract

The provenance of marbles used for making sarcophagi during the Roman period is an important question and scientific analysis can provide a strong confirmation and basis for future studies determining when and where the materials were obtained for manufacture. By using three different techniques (<em>i.e.</em>, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, stable isotope analysis and maximum grain size measurements) plus <em>in situ</em> examination, it is possible to resolve fully the provenance and date range of the ancient marble.