Petrified Power: An Initial Report on the Use of Hard-Stone Roman Spolia in Norman Sicily (Twelfth–Thirteenth Centuries)

A significant discovery reveals that Norman Sicily's rulers, particularly King Roger II, employed Roman hard-stone spolia—especially red porphyry—in an extensive and ambitious decorative program during the 12th century. This systematic reuse of classical materials was unprecedented in medieval Europe, serving as a political propaganda tool to assert the king's sovereign power over both church and state. Four notable porphyry tombs, likely housing Norman and Hohenstaufen rulers, stand out as exceptional monuments with relief-carved decorations, though their exact dates remain challenging to determine due to scarce evidence. The study also highlights the rediscovery of medieval hard-stone carving techniques, long thought lost since the fall of the western Roman Empire.

Morero, É., Longo, R., Bacile, R. M., Procopiou, H., Vargiolu, R., Zahouani, H., & Johns, J. (2025). Petrified Power: An Initial Report on the Use of Hard-Stone Roman Spolia in Norman Sicily (Twelfth–Thirteenth Centuries). Stone Building as Material and Metaphor in Southern Europe (1050–1300), 121–149. https://doi.org/10.1484/m.tmc-eb.5.150084