steatite

(noun)

A stone which contains a large amount of the mineral talc and is easily malleable; also known as soapstone. 

Related Terms

Examples of steatite in the following topics:

  • Indus Valley Civilization

    • Archaeologists have excavated sculptures, seals, pottery, gold jewelry, elaborate beadwork, and anatomically detailed figurines in terracotta, ceramic, bronze, lead, tin, and steatite from the ancient Indus Valley area.
    • Raw materials found only in distant regions, such as lapis lazuli and steatite, were imported for artistic use.

  • Ceramics

    • Other raw materials can include feldspar, ball clay, glass, bone ash, steatite, quartz, petuntse and alabaster.

  • The Stone Age

    • These figurines were carved from soft stone (such as steatite, calcite, or limestone), bone or ivory, or formed of clay and fired.

  • Paleolithic Sculpture

    • These figures are all quite small, between 4 and 25 cm tall, and carved mainly in steatite, limestone, bone, or ivory.