The Marble Sculptors of Paros and Naxos

The Cycladian islands of Paros and Naxos are best known today for their beautiful beaches which attract hundreds of thousands of holiday makers every year.

But in ancient times marble quarries high up in their mountains supplied the precious stone that adorned public buildings, monuments sand statues across the Greek and Roman empires.

Among the statues of Ancient Greece are those of the kouroi- young naked men depicted in a frontal pose, prevail, as well as those of the korai, dressed young girls. The Archaic sculptures, idealistic human figures at the height of their youth, are irrefutable witnesses to the artistic vigor of Naxos and Paros, the two neighbouring islands that maintained close links to the sanctuary of Delos- the sacred island nearby

Marble statues of unfinished korai have been unearthed in Naxos and the brilliant pure white marble from Paros was used as pediments for the Temple of Zeus in Olympia and on the temples of the Acropolis in Athens. In more recent times it was even used for the sarcophagus of Napoleon. Paros marble remains sought after due to its unblemished whiteness and high transparency.

It’s possible to visit the quarries in Paros and Naxos today . Some are no longer mined and graffiti from Past visitors can be viewed on the walls.

Others still provide the precious stone for many uses both in Greece and abroad.

Destination – Greece