CARBON AND OXYGEN ISOTOPE RATIOS OF MARBLES FROM SOME ANCIENT QUARRIES OF WESTERN ANATOLIA AND THEIR ARCHAEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE

¹³C/¹²C and ¹⁸O/¹⁶O ratios have been measured for 42 marbles from the main quarry localities of archaeological interest of Western Anatolia (Marmara, Ephesos, Aphrodisias, Denizli and Afyon) in order to test the possibility of isotopically characterizing ancient marbles from this region. The various groups of samples are not clearly distinguishable on a δ¹³C-δ¹⁸O diagram. However, if only white or slightly coloured samples are considered, the isotopic method appears to be much more selective.