The stone behind some of antiquity’s finest sculpture
Paros’s translucent lychnites marble was prized by ancient sculptors and used for works including the Nike of Samothrace and the Venus de Milo. At Marathi, traces of the quarrying landscape and entrances to the ancient galleries make that global story tangible. It is one of the island’s most important places and, surprisingly, one of its least understood.
The underground workings are fragile and potentially hazardous, so do not improvise entry or ignore barriers. Use the Parian Marble initiative’s current information, seek an organised visit where available and approach the landscape as an archaeological site rather than an adventure cave.
Good to know
Archaeology, Marble, Sculpture, and Industrial heritage
