ALABASTER

Alabaster

Alabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals, when used as a material: gypsum and calcite, a carbonate of calcium, also known as onyx-marble, Egyptian alabaster or Oriental alabaster, in geological terms is "a stalagmitic limestone marked with patterns of swirling bands of cream and brown". In general, but not always, ancient Alabaster in Egypt and the Near & Middle East is calcite. Alabaster in medieval Europe is gypsum. Modern Alabaster is probably calcite, but may be either. Both are easy to 'work' and as both are slightly water soluble, have been used for making a variety of indoor artworks and carvings, as they will not ...

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alabaster

Noun

  1. A fine-grained white or lightly-tinted variety of gypsum, used ornamentally.
  2. A variety of calcite, translucent and sometimes banded.

Adjective

  1. Made of alabaster
    The crown is stored in an alabaster box with an onyx handle and a gold lock.
  2. Resembling alabaster: white, pale, translucent.
    An ominous alabaster fog settled in the valley.


The above text is a snippet from Wiktionary: alabaster
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

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