Marble

When you touch me, I feel cool and smooth. I have pretty, wavy lines that swirl all around like rivers or yummy chocolate fudge ripple ice cream. I come from deep inside the Earth, where it is very warm. I was squeezed and heated for a long, long time until I became super strong. Can you guess what I am? I am Marble!

I have been a favorite for a very, very long time. Long ago, in a sunny place called Ancient Greece, people discovered me. They thought I was so beautiful. Around the 5th century BCE, they used me to build big, amazing temples that looked like they could touch the clouds, like the famous Parthenon. Later, people in Ancient Rome also used me to make their important buildings and statues look grand and special. Hundreds and hundreds of years passed, and a famous artist named Michelangelo chose me for his work. In the year 1504, he finished carving a giant, brave hero named David from a single, huge piece of me. He used special tools to chip and shape me until I looked just right.

You can still see me all around you today. I might be the shiny countertop in your kitchen where you eat your snacks, a pretty floor in a big building, or a grand statue in a park. I love helping make the world a more beautiful place. I show everyone that strong and lovely things can last for a very, very long time, connecting your world to the world of long ago.