Untitled   1996

imperial porphyry

3 1/2 high x 5 1/2 diameter

unique

The word porphyry comes from the Latin 'Porpora' meaning purple and was first used to describe the famou Egyptian Imperial porphyry. It is a hard volcanic rock of a deep purple red colour with a peppering of tiny white crystals and has been prized by Emperors, Kings and Popes since ancient times.

Virtually every piece of porphyry was quarried from the Egyptian eastern desert at Gebel Dokham and worked until the 5th century AD.