Marble

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The marble towers of the Eyrie, by Thomas Denmark © Fantasy Flight Games

Marble is a type of stone commonly used for sculpture and as a building material.

Description

Marble is found in the Vale of Arryn, and on the mountainous island of Tarth.[1] Marble may come in many different colors, including: white,[2] white veined with blue,[3] white veined with gold,[4] black,[5] green,[6] pink,[7] red,[8] and purple.[9]

Culture

Westeros

The Great Sept of Baelor, by Marc Simonetti ©

In King's Landing:

In the Crownlands:

In Dorne:

In the North:

In the Reach:

In the Riverlands:

  • The bear pit of Harrenhal is encircled by six tiers of marble benches.[22]
  • The floors and pillars of Whitewalls were crafted from white marble veined with gold.[4]

In the Vale of Arryn:

  • Though the Eyrie is the smallest of the seats of the Great Houses, it has more marble on its walls and upon its floors than any other castle in Westeros.[1] The marble used in the construction of the Eyrie was imported from Tarth.[1] The Eyrie's seven towers are made of white marble.[23] The floors and walls of its High Hall are made of milk-white marble veined with blue.[3][24] The Eyrie's garden contains a statue of Alyssa Arryn, carved in veined white marble.[2]

Essos

The halls of the city of Ar Noy are made of green marble.[6]

The halls of the Great Pyramid of Ghis were made of red marble,[8] whereas its modern counterpart, the Great Pyramid of Meereen, has purple marble floors and halls.[9][25][26][27]

In Braavos, some courtesans have even been immortalized in bronze or marble statues.[28] The largest temple in the city, the Temple of the Moonsingers, is built with snow-white marble, and a pair of marble maidens flank its gates.[11]

Bronze and marble statues of the gods worshipped by the Tall Men were found in the streets and temples of the Kingdom of Sarnor.[29]

The innermost wall of the city of Qarth is fifty feet tall and made of black marble.[30] The statues of heroes of the city stand atop columns of green and white marble.[30] The manse of Xaro Xhoan Daxos has a marble bathing pool, as well as green marble floors.[30] The floors of the Hall of a Thousand Thrones are made of marble.[31]

The ruined city of Velos was known for its palaces of cedar and pink marble.[32]

History

King Roland I Arryn ordered the construction of the Eyrie to be the new main seat of House Arryn, but since he did not like the look of the marble from the Vale of Arryn, he imported it from Tarth. This forced the construction to be painfully slow, intermittent over generations, as the cost was prohibitive as well as requiring much time and effort to carry the marble up the Giant's Lance.[1]

At the end of the Century of Blood, the Elephants rose to power in Volantis. Their supporters knocked the heads off the statues of Tigers they blamed for the military defeats, including Triarch Horonno's in Selhorys.[33]

King Aerys II Targaryen once proposed to build a new "white city", made entirely of marble, on the south bank of the Blackwater Rush.[34]

Recent Events

A Feast for Crows

Upon first arriving in the House of Black and White, Arya Stark observes a 12 feet tall marble statue of the Weeping Lady of Lys.[11]

During her imprisonment in the Spear Tower, Princess Arianne Martell is given a privy with a marble seat.[35]

A Dance with Dragons

During his stay at Illyrio's manse, Tyrion Lannister spots a marble pool with a life-like marble statue of a naked youth in its center.[36] During his journey, Tyrion also sees the ruins of Nymeria's pink and green marble palace in Ny Sar.[37]

In White Harbor, Ser Davos Seaworth climbs the Castle Stair, which is lit by bowls of burning whale oil cradled in the arms of marble mermaids.[38]

On the orders of Prince Doran Martell, Maester Caleotte places the Mountain's skull on a pedestal made of black marble, for all to see.[39]

External links

  • Marble - Wikipedia article on the real-world substance.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 The World of Ice & Fire, The Vale: The Eyrie.
  2. 2.0 2.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 40, Catelyn VII.
  3. 3.0 3.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 38, Tyrion V.
  4. 4.0 4.1 The Mystery Knight.
  5. 5.0 5.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 20, Eddard IV.
  6. 6.0 6.1 The World of Ice & Fire, Ancient History: Ten Thousand Ships.
  7. 7.0 7.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 2, The Captain Of Guards.
  8. 8.0 8.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 67, The Kingbreaker.
  9. 9.0 9.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 71, Daenerys VI.
  10. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 52, Jon VII.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 6, Arya I.
  12. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 65, Arya V.
  13. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 52, Sansa IV.
  14. 14.0 14.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 28, Cersei VI.
  15. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 20, Tyrion V.
  16. Fire & Blood, Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession.
  17. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 19, Davos III.
  18. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 6, Sansa I.
  19. 19.0 19.1 A Feast for Crows, Prologue.
  20. The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach: Oldtown.
  21. Fire & Blood, Birth, Death, and Betrayal Under King Jaehaerys I.
  22. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 44, Jaime VI.
  23. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 34, Catelyn VI.
  24. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 80, Sansa VII.
  25. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 2, Daenerys I.
  26. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 30, Daenerys V.
  27. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 59, The Discarded Knight.
  28. The World of Ice & Fire, The Free Cities: Braavos.
  29. The World of Ice & Fire, Beyond the Free Cities: The Grasslands.
  30. 30.0 30.1 30.2 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 27, Daenerys II.
  31. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 40, Daenerys III.
  32. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 56, The Iron Suitor.
  33. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 22, Tyrion VI.
  34. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aerys II.
  35. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 40, Princess In The Tower.
  36. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 1, Tyrion I.
  37. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 14, Tyrion IV.
  38. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 15, Davos II.
  39. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 38, The Watcher.