alabaster
Sign in to savethumb|Calcite alabaster: The tomb of Tutankhamun (d. 1323 BC) contained a practical objet d’art, a cosmetics jar made of Egyptian alabaster, which features a lid surmounted by a lioness (goddess Bast).
AI overview
Alabaster is a soft, light-colored stone that ancient peoples like the Egyptians carved into decorative and practical objects, such as the cosmetics jar found in Tutankhamun's tomb. It matters historically because these carved alabaster pieces provide insights into ancient craftsmanship, religious beliefs, and daily life from thousands of years ago.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Article
27 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Properties and usability
- Modern processing
- Working techniques
- Marble imitation
- Dyeing
- Types, occurrence, history
- Window panels
- Calcite alabaster
- Egypt and the Middle East
- North America
- Gypsum alabaster
- Ancient and Classical Near East
- Aragon, Spain
- Volterra (Tuscany)
- England and Wales
- Black alabaster
- Gallery
- Ancient and Classical Near East
- European Middle Ages
- Modern
- See also
- Mineralogy
- Window and roof panels
- References
- Further reading
- External links
thumb|Calcite alabaster: The tomb of Tutankhamun (d. 1323 BC) contained a practical objet d’art, a cosmetics jar made of Egyptian alabaster, which features a lid surmounted by a lioness (goddess Bast).
Alabaster is a soft rock used for carvings and as a source of plaster powder. Archaeologists, geologists, and the stone industry have different definitions for the word alabaster. In archaeology, the term alabaster includes objects and artefacts made from two different minerals: (i) the fine-grained, massive type of gypsum, and (ii) the fine-grained, banded type of calcite.