Parian marble

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July 23, 2026

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Parian marble is a type of fine white marble that was historically quarried on the island of Paros in Greece. This marble was highly prized by ancient Greek sculptors, such as Phidias and Praxiteles, for its exceptional quality and suitability for carving. The famous sculpture, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, is made from Parian marble.1234

The term "Parian" is also used to describe a type of unglazed porcelain that resembles Parian marble, first introduced in the 1840s. This Parian ware was often used for ornamental articles and figures.25

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Páros
White, semitransparent Parian marble (Paria Marmara), used for sculpture and quarried from subterranean pits on the north side of Mount Marpessa, was the chief source of wealth for ancient Páros. Several of the marble tunnels have survived.
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White, semitransparent Parian marble (Paria Marmara), used for sculpture and quarried from subterranean pits on the north side of Mount Marpessa, was the chief source of wealth for ancient Páros. Several of the marble tunnels have survived.
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marble
These include the Parian marble, the Pentelic marble of Attica in which Phidias, Praxiteles, and other Greek sculptors executed their principal works, and the snow-white Carrara marble used by Michelangelo and Antonio Canova and favoured by modern sculptors. The exterior of the National Gallery of Art in Washington,…
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These include the Parian marble, the Pentelic marble of Attica in which Phidias, Praxiteles, and other Greek sculptors executed their principal works, and the snow-white Carrara marble used by Michelangelo and Antonio Canova and favoured by modern sculptors. The exterior of the National Gallery of Art in Washington,…
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sculpture
Primary
… and its sculpture are made—and Parian.
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… and its sculpture are made—and Parian.
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