The study of ancient quarries, which is one of the most interesting topics of ancient Greek technology, is closely related on the one hand to ancient sculpture and stonemasonry, and on the other hand to the social and economic history of ancient times. The necessary contribution of the natural sciences (geology, physics, chemistry, etc.) testifies to the multidimensional approach of ancient quarries. The quarries, spaces of daily and laborious work for humble people and skilled craftsmen, decisively contributed - often without the creators realizing it - to the construction of magnificent architectural and sculptural monuments, as well as vessels, tools, and laboratory equipment. As sites for systematic extraction and processing of stones, the quarries were the birthplaces of great works of antiquity, as well as objects that covered the daily needs of people.

This book aims to introduce the general public to the organization and operation of ancient quarries, the tools, the techniques of extraction and carving, the most important types of extracted stones, the methods of transportation and distribution networks, as well as the economic parameters of their operation.