Marbles, especially pure white marble, have been the most preferred material for sculptures since the Greek and Roman times. This is because it is soft for stones, has uniform orientation, has high homogeneity of the material, and has less tendency to break, making it easy to carve delicately. And because calcite, one of the main ingredients of marble, gives a slightly waxy texture, the marble sculptures become more lively.
It is also used as a building material. Among building marbles, the biggest use of being sold as standard dimensions is large tiles. This is the case when marble plates are attached to the walls inside the building, especially to the floor.
The top four countries account for more than half of the world's production. Italy is the world's No.1 marble producer, accounting for 20% of the world's production, followed by China 16%, India 10%, and Spain 6%. Among the marbles produced in Italy, the marbles harvested from Karara are considered the best products from ancient Rome to today.
