Amazing White Marble Inlay Handicrafts

By Author: Gokraftly
Total Articles: 5
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Italian Marble
Nowadays Pietra Dura are beautiful marble semi-precious stones that began in the workshops of Florence in Italy around the end of the 16th century, Pietra means (stone) and Dura means (hard) this marble is widely used to make marble inlay handicrafts in India. Another reason we use Italian marble is for its durability and purity. Pietra dura appeared on a range of objects from decorative panels to the hand-carved birds to flower motifs to cabinet fronts to tabletops which enhance the pietra dura art.

Types of Italian Marble
There are three most common types of Italian marble.
1- Carrara
2- Calacatta
3- Statuary

• Carrara- It is available in white or blue-grey marble for use in home decor and also used in taj mahal work for its construction. Carrara is located in the Italian province of Massa-Carrara and in the region of Tuscany in north-central Italy, in the foothills of the Apuan Alps. This stunning natural stone is white and grey and features elegant grey veining.
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• Calacatta- It is a distinctive white Italian marble with grey and gold veining ...
... used to make tabletop inlay work. Calacatta marble is mainly used in interior applications where it is very visible. Projects such as entrance or foyer flooring, wall coverings and kitchen tops are the most common marble inlaid. This Marble is associated with luxury due to its rarity and unique, distinctive appearance.
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• Statuary- It has a pure white background and elegant grey veins across the stone, This marble is also used to make marble inlay table tops and flower vases. This marble is a very bright white in colour, and it is relatively rare.
Stone of Afghanistan - Lapis Lazuli
The term Lapis Lazuli originates from Afghanistan which was separated from India in 1893. Lapis Lazuli is widely used for marble handicrafts and It is a rock formed by multiple minerals, mostly Lazurite, Sodalite, Calcite and Pyrite, and is a rich medium to royal blue with gold flecks (pyrites). It comes under Metamorphic Rock. Lapis Lazuli comes from many different corners of the world including the mystic corners of Afghanistan, the Ancient Roman shores of Italy, the new worlds of the USA and the wine-soaked lands of Chile.
These are two regions of India widely famous for marble handicrafts and embroidery work.

Agra
First of all, we talk about the hub of marble handicrafts which is Agra- the Taj city of India, situated on the riverbank of Yamuna, Uttar Pradesh. It is world-famous for its beautiful handmade products with different craftsmanship. Frame Marble, Inlay work, carpet weaving, Zardozi (embroidery), paintings, calligraphy, textiles etc are the famous crafts of the city. There are 12 units in the Agra district that come under minor & major medium industries.

Famous handicrafts style in Agra
Mirror Work- This work is an ancient craft that is also known as ‘sheesha’ or ‘abhala bharat’ embroidery. Indian artisans quickly excelled at the craft, and over time, motifs evolved to reflect the indigenous cultures of India. Mirror work as we know it today originated from 17th century India.

Zardozi- Zardozi work is a metal thread embroidery that is a speciality of the city of Agra. It was once used to embellish the ensemble of the kings and royals. The richest embroidery of India is the Zari and the zardozi, which is known since the late 16th century. This art form was introduced in India by the Mughal invaders
Moreover, walls of royal tents, wall hangings, scabbards and paraphernalia of regal horses and elephants were also done in zardozi. Zardozi has existed in India from the times of the Rig Veda and there are numerous mentions of zari in the attires of gods. However, at that time, the embroidery was done with real gold leaves and silver wires. Today, copper wires with a golden or silver polish are used along with a silk thread. Two Persian words ‘zar’ meaning gold and ‘dozi’ meaning embroidery make up the word ‘zardozi’.

Marble Table Tops:- The Art of Home Living
So Far we are concerned about marble tabletops, in this article let us know about the various kind of marble and semi-precious stones used to make marble tables and other marble things for home décor and living.
Table Tops are the utility things for daily use and home décor, in fact, marble tabletops are highly good as used liable for the long term. White Marble is mostly used to make tabletops for increasing the beauty of ornaments. Marble is considered the king of natural stones therefore, it is quite popular with the homeowners and which is also a reason why it is also extremely expensive and the Calacatta is widely regarded as the most expensive marble.

Stones Used During Making Marble Table
Marble
Rock Composed of Calcium –Magnesium Carbonate that has been recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure. Marble is used for buildings and monuments, interior decorations, and tabletops. It is a metamorphic rock primarily composed of the mineral calcites CaCo3 and contains some other minerals like mica, Quartz, Pyrite, iron oxides and Graphite.

Pietra Dura: The Majestic Stone Using Since Mughal Period
It is an Italian marble particularly used to make beautiful arts and crafts that was revived during the renaissance by craftsmanship. Pietra Dura is called Parchin kari, it is the term for inlay technique or using cut and fitted. It is the mosaic any several kinds of the hard stone used in commesso mosaic work, an art that flourished in Florence particularly in the 16th and 17th centuries involved the fashioning of highly illusionistic pictures out of the cut to shape pieces of coloured stone. Taj Mahal is a great example of the use of Pietra Dura, embedded in the ivory marble imported from Makrana (Rajasthan)

Malachite:- The soul of Marble Products
It is a green copper carbonate mineral and a part of a monolithic crystal system and has a silky lustre. It is opaque transparency and sometimes has a patterned surface. It is historically been worn for protection from lightning and contagious disease. It is made up of Cu2 CO3(OH)2. It is an important protection stone and absorbs all negative energies and pollutants, picking them up from the atmosphere, It helps to decorate the marble vase, tabletops, and another interior as well exterior products.

Lapis Lazuli:-
It looks beautiful purple in colour, the shiny polished surface used as a gemstone. It is a popular material for cutting into cabochons and beads. It is a metamorphic rock. It is one of the oldest spiritual stones. It is not more expensive than others. The Sumerians believed that the spirit of their gods lived within the stone, while the ancient Egyptians saw it as a symbol of the night sky. Since the earliest of times, lapis lazuli has been associated with strength and courage, royalty and wisdom, intellect and truth.

Coral Stone-
The Coral Stone is an organic gemstone, It is in high demand in Italy and Tunisia. It is the symbol of modesty, wisdom and happiness, It is not an expensive gemstone used to make home decor products. The Coral Stone that comes from China and Japan are more expensive than the Italian stone even though it is known to be of lesser quality. This is because that which is found in China or Japan are not as readily found as that in Italy.

Abalone Shell
It is the stone that enhances the feeling of peace, compassion and love. Abalone Shell is an excellent companion when needing guidance in relationships as it enhances and supports communication, cooperation, commitment and compromise, which in turn lead to harmony and balance.