alabaster
alabaster (n)
- plural
- alabasters
English Definitions:
alabaster (noun)
a compact fine-textured, usually white gypsum used for carving
alabaster, oriental alabaster, onyx marble, Mexican onyx (noun)
a hard compact kind of calcite
alabaster (adj)
a very light white
alabaster, alabastrine (adj)
of or resembling alabaster
"alabaster statue"
alabaster (Noun)
A fine-grained white or lightly-tinted variety of gypsum, used ornamentally.
alabaster (Noun)
A variety of calcite, translucent and sometimes banded.
alabaster (Adjective)
Made of alabaster
alabaster (Adjective)
Resembling alabaster: white, pale, translucent.
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, and "alabaster" in medieval Europe is gypsum, and modern "alabaster" is probably calcite, but may be either. Both are easy to work, with an attractive appearance, and have been used for making a variety of artworks and objects, especially carvings for indoor use, as both are slightly water soluble, and will not survive long outdoors. The two kinds are distinguished from one another readily by differences in their relative hardness. The gypsum kind is so soft as to be readily scratched with a fingernail, while the calcite kind is too hard to be scratched in this way, although it does yield readily to a knife. Moreover, the calcite alabaster, being a carbonate, effervesces upon being touched with hydrochloric acid, whereas the gypsum alabaster, when thus treated, remains practically unaffected.
Alabaster
Alabaster is a mineral or rock that is soft, often used for carving, and is processed for plaster powder. Archaeologists and the stone processing industry use the word differently from geologists. The former use it in a wider sense that includes varieties of two different minerals: the fine-grained massive type of gypsum and the fine-grained banded type of calcite. Geologists define alabaster only as the gypsum type. Chemically, gypsum is a hydrous sulfate of calcium, while calcite is a carbonate of calcium.The two types of alabaster have similar properties. They are usually lightly colored, translucent, and soft stones. They have been used throughout history primarily for carving decorative artifacts.The calcite type is also denominated "onyx-marble", "Egyptian alabaster", and "Oriental alabaster" and is geologically described as either a compact banded travertine or "a stalagmitic limestone marked with patterns of swirling bands of cream and brown". "Onyx-marble" is a traditional, but geologically inaccurate, name because both onyx and marble have geological definitions that are distinct from even the broadest definition of "alabaster". In general, ancient alabaster is calcite in the wider Middle East, including Egypt and Mesopotamia, while it is gypsum in medieval Europe. Modern alabaster is probably calcite but may be either. Both are easy to work and slightly soluble in water. They have been used for making a variety of indoor artwork and carving, and they will not survive long outdoors. The two kinds are readily distinguished by their different hardnesses: gypsum alabaster (Mohs hardness 1.5 to 2) is so soft that a fingernail scratches it, while calcite (Mohs hardness 3) cannot be scratched in this way but yields to a knife. Moreover, calcite alabaster, being a carbonate, effervesces when treated with hydrochloric acid, while gypsum alabaster remains almost unaffected.
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"alabaster." Kamus.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 Apr. 2024. <https://www.kamus.net/english/alabaster>.
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