Ancient Marble Quarries - Marathi

The famous marble of Paros was the material for some of the most well-known masterpieces of the ancient world, due to its unparalleled quality. Works that still impress people, like Aphrodite of Milos, Hermes of Praxiteles, Nike of Samothrace, the Korai of the Acropolis, but also the contemporary statue, the Sleeping Girl by Chalepas, have been constructed by Parian marble, which is characterized by its unusual clarity, allowing light to pass to a depth of 3,5 cm.

Τhey stopped mining Parian marble in the 19th century, but until that point it had contributed a lot to the island's economy. There are dozens of quarries in Paros but the most impressive one, a subterranean quarry, is located at Marathi, 5km from Parikia. This quarry produced the famous fine-grained "Lychnites", which took its name from the extended use of lamps ("lychnos") that were used during the mining process. Today, entering the mines is possible only through two entrances.