The history of marbles and games involving the use of marbles goes back perhaps before modern civilization.
Certainly there were many ancient cultures that partook in some form of old marbles games.
These different civilizations include the Roman empire where marble playing was written about and ancient Egyptian where marbles were found in tombs.
However, these first old marbles were found throughout the world and show how far reaching the appeal of the simple, ancient game is.
Not only have marbles been found in relation to the Native American tribes but going back thousands of years even further, spanning the globe.
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History of Marbles – Then and Now
The first old handmade marbles consisted of different materials depending on what was available, who was using them and what they were actually used for.
Typically, various basic stones, rocks and clay were used for marbles. However, it is thought that the term marbles comes from the use of actual marble in their composition.
These old marbles and their styles remained essentially unchanged until fairly modern terms. It was in Germany in the mid 19th century – 1848 to be exact – that the first marble scissors were invented and put into use.
These were created by a glass blower and were a mold to be used to create glass marbles.
Thus the glass marble was born and the popularity of marbles continued to spread.
At this point however the glass marbles still had to be made from hand and molds.
By the 1890s there were machines that were created to produce marbles, however these did not gain extreme use for several more decades.
It was not until World War I that glass marbles were made in large amounts from machinery, stemming from the shortage of marbles due to the war itself.
American ingenuity and machinery got put into use and soon machines were producing glass marbles en masse.
With these two developments, first of the glass marble itself and then of the machinery to produce them, marbles have been able to evolve and expand to a wide array of designs and styles.
For example, the cats eye marble was created in Japan in the 1950s with the injection of colors into the glass itself.
With different temperature techniques many other effects could be created such as bubbles, streaks and cracked appearances.
Of course today glass marbles are the most popular and the most prevalent.
Swirl marbles feature many colors and a swirl design.
Additionally there are Superman marbles and a whole slew of marble varieties.
There are also other types of marbles used today such as mica marbles, while the old homemade marbles and vintage marbles are rare and hard to find.
There are thought to be literally just several people left in the world making marbles by hand today.
The Most Popular Marble Floor Tile Varieties in India
Marble floor tiles are becoming very popular for use in homes all over the world.
And even though these types of tiling materials have been around for centuries, it is just now that a wider segment of society is taking a much closer look at the many benefits that they have to offer.
It would be safe to say that if you are looking to update your house, then using marble flooring may be the way to go.
The Choice Of Flooring Material Helps In Improving A Home’s Aesthetic Value
The choice of flooring material carries a major role in the overall look and functionality of a home, is just as vital as the other furnishings that you put in the house.
Since marble floor tiles help to create a healthy mix of elegance and functionality, it is considered to be one of the finest materials to be used for flooring.
There are a lot of different varieties and designs of marble tiles sold in shops and hardware stores, with each one varying in color, texture and veining, finish and overall look.
The different marble tiles available today offer a wide array of uses and applications, which makes some individuals prefer certain types of marble tiles over the others.
Most Popular Marble Tile Variants in India
1. Glazed or Polished Tiles
This marble floor tile variant offers one of the best aesthetic-improving qualities for marble tiles.
Glazed or polished marble tiles give the floor an intense shine to it, by making its design and color stand out.
The shine helps emphasize the flooring tile’s aesthetic value, as well as make it look a whole lot cleaner.
Although this particular variety makes it quite difficult to maintain, since scratches and smudges on the tile’s surface can damage its finish, which could be highly visible.
However, such floor tiles are relatively easier to clean, because marble tiles possess the unique characteristic of being hypoallergenic, thereby making it difficult for microbes and bacteria to live and thrive on its surface.
2. Tumbled Marble Tile
These types are also very popular with people who aim to recreate an antique appearance to their floors.
Tumbled marble tiles also are able to have that antique look because of the process that it undergoes, which involves tumbling marble tiles inside a large drum with sand, resulting to marble tiles which have corners that are a bit rounded with slightly chipped edges.
3. Honed Marble Tile
This marble tile variant offers a more matte-like finish, look and quality to the flooring tile, which makes it more ideal in high-traffic areas of the home, as compared to polished or glazed marble tiles.
These tiles with honed finishes are more resilient to damage that can be caused by being constantly exposed to friction done by shoes or other hard materials.
Marble Tiles Are Suitable For Every Part of The Home
A major positive aspect of marble floor tiles is the look that it will give your home.
These tiles are most popular in the kitchen, but many people also use them in their bathroom as well.
If you really want your marble tiles to stand out, you may wish to combine it with a countertop to match.
This serves as a great way to give your kitchen or bathroom a completely unique appearance.
In addition to the stunning look that these tiles offer, you will also be getting a floor that is very durable.
Even though you will have to care for it just like any other floor, marble will not scratch easily.
In addition, buffing off a marble floor is relatively an easy thing to do.
Marble stands as a material with built-in associations of artistry, durability and craftsmanship, making it a preferred material for use in homes.
With marble tiles, a unique aesthetic advantage is gained, along with a part of the unique historical legacy with which marble is frequently associated.
The only downside of using marble floor tiles is that they can be quite expensive.
If you are interested in using these at home, ensure that you shop around and find the best deals.
As such, you may be able to save yourself a considerable amount of money on your project.
Marble Types From Around the World
Marble is a very fascinating stone.
It has been used for thousands of years for both monumental and small-scale architecture and artistry because it is so beautiful and austere.
There are many different marble types and varieties, because as it is a naturally occurring stone it takes different forms and shapes depending on the minerals it contains, which is affected by its location.
The many different varieties of marble reflect this variation in color, which is part of the reason why marble is considered such a valuable and beautiful stone.
1. Carrara Marble Flooring
One type of marble is called Carrara, and it is found in Tuscany, Italy.
This marble has been renowned for its beauty for thousands of years. It was used by the Ancient Romans to build such monumental artworks as Trajan’s Column and the Roman Pantheon.
Many Roman buildings were made of marble, but Carrara was specifically sought out to build these buildings because it was so highly prized during the early imperial era.
This marble type has been continuously honored throughout the ages in other uses, such as Michaelangelo’s David and the campus of Harvard’s medical school.
2. Parian Marble Flooring
One of the most famous marble types is known as parian marble, which was used extensively by the Classical Greeks to construct many of their works of art and architecture.
This marble was so highly prized because of its “flawless” qualities.
That is, it contained almost no impurities to take away from the stone’s shining white hue.
Parian marble is and has been mined mainly on the island of Paros in the Cycladic island group of the central Aegean.
One of the most widely-used marble types in the United States is Yule marble, at least when it comes to monumental architecture.
This marble, like Parian marble, is known for its flawless lack of impurities, but also its amount. Yule marble is part of a massive deposit in the mountains of Colorado.
Despite how much of it exists, the marble is very expensive because it must be mined at very high altitudes.
Even so, it has been used in such monuments as the Lincoln Memorial and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington D.C.
While the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is extremely impressive due to the fact that it is a single gigantic block of marble, the Lincoln Memorial is that much more magnificent because the entire structure is made of this material.
There are many other marble types around the world, such as Pavonazzo marble from Italy, Griotte marble from France, Bucova marble from Romania, and many others.
All of these marbles have been used just as magnificently as any others from around the world – it is often the case that people use regional marbles out of pride, or because a particular brand is famous.
Regardless, all marbles are magnificent and worthy of attention.