Historical Background:
It is well known that the stones were used in building many ages ago. Ancients began to use stones in building and shortly after that, they came to realize the importance of the stone in several areas such as in sculptures and decoration of their buildings that they used to boast of in that era. They excelled in dealing with the stone and they formed giant cultures that still maintain their glory till now. The pyramids of Gaza in Egypt, Taj Mahal in India and the columns of temple of the sun in Marib – Yemen are examples that reflect the art of cutting and the formation of rocks and stones, as well as the techniques used at that time.
Yemen possesses a variety of stones that are spread all over the Middle-East. Stones have left deep imprints on the architecture heritage of the country. For instance, Ghamdan Palace is one of the famous palaces in Yemen that is 2000 years old multistoried considered to be one of the first skyscrapers in the world. The foundations of this palace were built from basalt stones, and the roof was covered by thin slabs of white marble giving it an astonishing and remarkable view.
The tradition of stone architecture has continued to the present era with most of the important modern buildings in the country such as the public buildings, homes, hotels and temples that are using stones extensively.
Natural Stone Characteristics:
Its precious and beautiful multi-colors that is a variety of fifteen or more colors attract the viewers.
Because of the acid chemical structure of natural stone, they are resistant to weathering factors as well as the suitability of warm and cold atmosphere.
Natural Stone benefits:
There are many benefits of natural stone and the most important benefits are:
- Heat and humidity isolation.
- Sound isolation.
- Fire resistance.
- Timeless, unique appearance.