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Find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter DECEMBER 2020 17 The Magnificent Marble At Sylacauga I T ’ S NOT A SECRET . I T ’ S EVEN THE OFFICIAL ROCK OF THE S TATE OF A LABAMA . B UT MANY PEOPLE DON ’ T KNOW . S OME 67 MILES NORTHEAST OF M ONTGOMERY — AND WITHIN THE HEART OF A LABAMA — LIE LEGENDARY MARBLE QUARRIES . t is truly spectacular. The pure marble ribbon near Sylcauga is said to be the longest deposit in the world. It measures 32 miles in length, one and one-half miles in width and more than 600 feet in depth. The deposits contain the “finest marble in the world.” That was first expressed by Italian master sculptor, Giuseppe Moretti, when he encountered the Talladega County stone more than 100 years ago. Moretti was in the United States in 1903 to complete his renowned work of Birmingham’s gigantic Vulcan statue. The marble is praised for being unparalleled in composition. It is the world’s whitest and considered the strongest. And it’s mind-boggling that a stone so solid can harbor such delicate translucence. Light can actually flow through the stone. For that reason, Sylacauga marble has been chosen for many works of art and architectural features. One example is found in the ceiling of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. It was chosen for the interior because natural light could filter through it onto the seated statue of our sixteenth president. Sculptors explain that the fine texture of Sylacauga marble makes it easier for them to carve detailed work. Gutzon Borglum, the great sculptor who created Mount Rushmore, said it was Alabama marble that enabled him to sculpt Abraham Lincoln’s expression of kindness that he had not been able to do with any other stones. Fast forward a century — Sylacauga sculptor-in-residence, Graigger Browne, praised the same phenomenon. “It’s strong,” he beamed, “which makes it excellent for fine/detail sculpting.” Browne’s celebrated works can be seen throughout the United States, as well as on five of the seven continents. Sylacauga marble is prominent in many places. It is featured in the U.S Supreme Court building, the U.S. Senate building, the Washington Monument, the New York Stock Exchange. In Montgomery there are also examples within the Alabama Archives building and the Alabama Supreme Court Building. In 2008, a major movement was born. Little did the town of some 12,500 people realize what was about to happen. It all began when the Alabama State Arts Council initiated an international cultural exchange program. Sylacauga was selected to become a “Sister City” with a small town in Italy. Just as Sylacauga, Pietrasanta sits on a world class marble quarry. The Italian “Sister” boasts of its Carrara Marble — which was recorded as being worked by Ro- mans as far back as 173 B.C. It was from those quarries that Michelangelo sculpted his classic David statue more than 500 years ago. But more relevant, he created his masterpiece of the Virgin Mary cradling the lifeless body of Christ, the “Pieta.” In 2009, on the heels of sisterhood, Sylacauga rallied to initiate the Magic of Marble festival in honor of its marble and .. ........................................................................................................................................................................ I "The Mask" by Giovanni Balderi