During the Renaissance, marble was quarried by inserting wooden pegs into naturally occuring cracks in the rock, then pouring water onto the pegs to make them swell. Eventually the rock would split, liberating a piece of marble.

How is marble quarried?

During the Renaissance, marble was quarried by inserting wooden pegs into naturally occuring cracks in the rock, then pouring water onto the pegs to make them swell. Eventually the rock would split, liberating a piece of marble.

How is marble excavated?

Marble deposits can be exploited in open pits, it can be 95% on outdoor quarries and 5% in caves or mines. Marble is located at ground level or at great depths which make the cost too high for removal. Formerly, the extraction of this stone was done manually with wooden wedges, halters, ropes, picks and shovels.