THE INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE CONNEMARA MARBLE: CROSS-ATLANTIC CONNECTIONS BETWEEN WESTERN IRELAND AND THE CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA

The region known as Connemara in the west of Ireland once formed part of the north-central Appalachian Mountains before the Atlantic Ocean opened some 200 million years ago. The oldest rocks exposed in Connemara are ~600 million years old. The Connemara Marble is arguably the most celebrated of all rock types encountered in Ireland. The marble is an integral part of Ireland’s industrial archaeology and a key element of its natural and cultural heritage. Its unique fabrics and colours reflect a series of deformation and metamorphic events during the 475-463Ma.Grampian (Taconic) orogeny.

The stone has been used for architectural purposes on an international scale and is used in the manufacture of jewellery and souvenirs. In the late 19^th to early 20^th century, architects incorporated Connemara marble in their commissions including museums and public buildings. The Carnegie Museum of Natural History is a remarkable example of the interior use of Connemara marble. The range of colours and fabrics displayed by the marble within the Museum are described. Three different colours of marble are arranged in combinations with other dimension stones. We argue that the dominant green colour of the marble enhances the artistic and architectural impact of the Museum’s interior.