Soapstone is the popular name given to steatite.
Soapstone is a metamorphic rock related to talc and serpentine (green marble). Steatite is more dense and harder than limestone. The artists of the past always worked this rock. Many testimonies, rule and old reliefs shows it. Throughout history, soapstone was appreciated and used in construction, for sinks, as floor covering, as architectural and ornamental elements, in tiles, for pots and pans and its use as carving material is immemorial.
In cold climate countries, soapstone was as a heat source in the bedroom: once heated, it was placed under the bed. In some areas, window frames were made with soapstone: during the night it radiated the heat from the sun that was stored during the day. |
