Base in Porfido Serpentino Antico ou Serpentino

PElegant base in orfido Serpentino Antico
19,5 x 18 x 12 cm

Ancient Green Porphyry, also known as Greek Green Porphyry or Serpentine, is one of the most famous stones among ancient marbles. It originates from the Peloponnese, specifically from the Krokea district near the Psephì hill, located between the villages of Stefania and Krokea itself.
The use of the word “originates” is intentional, as Ancient Green Porphyry is one of the few materials—like two types of Egyptian ophites and Spanish Green Porphyry—that is not "quarried" but rather "collected" in the form of small blocks, typically measuring less than one meter. Pausanias informs us of this, stating:
"Not all stones are extracted from quarries, but many are found scattered underground, some of the most precious kind, like the Laconian green, which is more cheerful than all others."?(Pliny, Natural History, 36, 11)
Pliny, in his Naturalis Historia, described this material as unique in both history and appearance. It was so renowned that it was referred to as the “Emerald of Laconia” (as cited by Theophrastus), the “Laconian Stone” (Lucan), or krokeatis lithos, a name still used in Greece today. The Latin writer Pausanias likely identified it as Taigeto marble, named after the tallest mountain in the extraction area. It was also known by Roman synonyms such as lapis lacedaemonius, lacedaemonium (marmor) viride in Pliny’s Natural History (Pliny, N.H., 36, 55), and simply lacedaemonium in Diocletian’s Edict, where it was listed as one of the most expensive stones, valued at an impressive 250 denarii.
The Romans called it “Spartan Green,” while the Byzantines referred to it as marmo piganusio, meaning a stone with a color similar to rue. The name “Serpentine” likely dates back to the Middle Ages, as Italian marble workers thought its color and texture vaguely resembled the skin of certain snakes. Other historical names include serpentino della stella, porfido verde antico (Ancient Green Porphyry), and porfido verde di Grecia (Greek Green Porphyry), reflecting the tradition that marbles were named either by their color or by their region of origin, as stated by Agricola in 1546:
"Marmora do not have unique names, but are named either after their inherent colors or the regions in which they are found."
As Lazzarini reports in his Poikiloi Lithoi, Versiculores Maculae: The Colored Marbles of Ancient Greece, this material captivated poets and writers with its striking diversity. It is a unique stone, generally dark green but also featuring shades of yellow-green, purplish-brown, and even emerald hues. It has a porphyritic texture due to its crystalline inclusions, which range in size from millimeters to centimeters and sometimes form star-like clusters.
When considering Ancient Green Porphyry, one must think of a material with multiple variations in appearance—many different facets of a single stone. Its geological formation resulted from a metamorphic process that overlaid the original magmatic material, producing a wide variety of similar but never identical stones across different regions. As Agricola noted:
"Either by their inherent colors or by the regions in which they are found."
Various types of this porphyry have been found on the market, each distinct yet unmistakably belonging to the same family: the holotype, Porfido Vitelli, verde antico risato (cracked green porphyry), the brown-violet variety, the agatato (agate-like) variety, the brown type, and the bruciato (burnt) variety, the latter likely an artificial alteration achieved by heating the stone.
This is a truly fascinating and characterful material. Due to its unique formation and scarcity, it has never been widely available, preserving its symbolic significance through the centuries. Initially, it was used to represent the “barbarian” peoples who inhabited its place of origin. However, through conceptual evolution, it came to symbolize the emperor who had subdued them, his power, and his greatness—just as many other strikingly beautiful stones from the empire’s frontiers were reserved exclusively for the emperor and his family.