Taj Mahal’s Makrana Marble now ‘Global Heritage Stone Resource’!

24 Jul 2019 13:08:26
Jaipur, Jul. 24: Indian marbles are one of the most demanding stones in the whole world. In these marbles, Marble from Makrana or ‘Makrana Marble’ is renowned worldwide for its fine quality is now declared as ‘Global Heritage Stone Resource’ (GHSR).

 
Makrana Marble from Rajasthan is now Asia’s first Global Heritage Stone Resource (GHSR), was confirmed on July 19 by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), an international non-governmental organization devoted to international cooperation in the field of geology.
 
 
 
It is noteworthy that, all of this has been made possible by a seven-member team of researchers and faculty members from Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh; Rajasthan University (RU) Jaipur; and the Geological Society of India (GSI), Bengaluru.
 
 
 
 
The GHSR designation seeks international recognition of natural stone resources that have achieved widespread utilization in human culture and has earlier identified just 15 such stones, including UK’s Portland stone and Italy’s Carrara marble.
 
 
 
  
 
A decision on Makrana marble was taken after the Indian team worked on a paper, Makrana Marble: A Popular Heritage Stone Resource From NW India under the IUGS-United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO) Heritage Stone Designation Project.
 
Iconic sites where Makrana Marble has been used include Taj Mahal, Humayun’s Tomb in New Delhi, Akbar’s Tomb in Sikandra, Agra; Dukhnivaran Sahib Gurdwara, Ludhiana; Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi and Moti Masjid in Lahore.
 
An official notification from IUGS secretary-general Stanley C Finney received by the team and dated July 11 says: “IUGS Executive Committee has ratified the GHSR proposals for seven new stones: Alpedrete granite (Spain), Bath stone (UK), Macael marble (Spain), Makrana marble (India), Pietra Serena (Italy), Rosa Beta granite (Italy), and Tennessee marble.”
 
IUGS promotes and encourages the study of geological problems, especially those of world-wide significance, and supports and facilitates international and interdisciplinary cooperation in the earth sciences.
 
Among the 15 resources recognised earlier are Petit granite (Belgium), Larvikite (Norway), Podpêc limestone (Slovenia), Hollandia gneiss (Sweden), Villamayor sandstone (Spain), Estremoz marble (Portugal), Maltese Globigerina limestone (Malta) , Jacobsville sandstone (USA), Lede stone (Belgium), Welsh slate (Wales), Piedra Mar del Plata (Argentina), Kolmarden Serpentinite (Sweden), and Lioz (Portugal).
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