480 bc, Parian Marble (lichnitis)
Archeological Museaum Delos

Ancient Marble Quarries

The BIG transparency of Parian marble, that gouged from the Quarries of Marathi, helped a lot, in order to the hands of great sculptors are given birth masterpieces. Ermis of Praxiteli, the Aphrodite of Milos, the temple of Neptune in Sounio, the temple of Solomon are some of work.
The Castle of Paros was built exclusively with Parian marble. The Castle made in the 13th century.
The building of the Company of Marble, was built exclusively with Parian marble.
The ANCIENT quarries find in Marathi, in an extensive band of hills. To the westerners it passes torrent and westwards of the torrent there are the buildings of the company of Marble, that were founded in 1878. The first caverns were created with the continuing excavation in the first hill with the bushes that appears in the photograph.
The NATURE with the erosive effect of water and the big forces that are developed in the rocks, with the earthquakes and the landslips, created the natural caverns. Thus were given birth the Cavern of Antiparos and the Cavern of Demonon in the top of hill, where is found the monastery of Saint George, to the borons of Aspro Village. But created also the person caverns searching for marble and precious mining.
Before three thousands years did not exist the quarry. The artists of season of Cycladic culture would come in the band and concave with rudimentary cupreous tools so that they find good pieces of marble and bring on Cycladic figurines.
The name Cavern of Nymphs emanated from the grand relief, that exists in one of the entries of quarry (right entry). In the grand relief they are incuse nymphs, gods, Panas (that is why called Cavern of Panos), women, men and one enigmatic Minotaur. In the grand relief we read the sign: ADAMAS DRYSIS NYMFAIS (Adamas from the band of Odrison of Thrace dedicates in the Nymphs).
FROM the door of devastated house of Company with the abundance thicket that is nourished with the marble. Houses built with the marble of band. Elsewhere abounds the slate and elsewhere is wedded the marble with the slate. Such marriages you see in a lot of manufactures (windmills, houses).
SO MUCH NATURAL, as the artificial obstacles constitute important ecosystems with interesting flora and fauna, with life, movement, kao beauty. This ecosystems should be protected.
The ABANDONED mines took life many times in the centuries of their history. In 1878 with foreigner capital it began a important productive activity with centre the mine. Paros of season became «small industrial Europe) at the historical Nikiforos Kypreos. Resided and worked in Paros Άggloj, Austrian, Belgian, Germans, Oriental and Armenian. Railway line was manufactured for the transmission of Marbles and a department was saved up to before few times in the harbour of Paroikia (Iron).
Ancient Quarries

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