When you think of the priceless treasures at the Vatican Museum you probably think of the artwork: Michelangelo’sin Saint Peter’s; the ancient and renaissance artwork in the Museums; or even the priceless manuscripts and precious coins hidden away in the libraries. If you’re like me, you probably don’t jump to toilette furniture. All the same, one of the most valuable items in Rome is a bathtub that has been estimated to be worth $2 billion.
The reason it is so expensive, Vanden Eykel told me, is that it “was made from an extremely rare and therefore expensive marble called ‘imperial porphyry.’ Nero and other emperors liked this stone because of its deep and distinctive purple shade, but it also didn’t hurt that it was exclusive and extremely hard to come by.”
After it was extracted from the mines—which was no mean feat!—the material had to be transported. The journey began with a lengthy overland journey from the mine to the Nile. At Coptos, the marble boarded a ship up the river and carried on across the Mediterranean making stops along the way. The final leg of the journey, from the port of Ostia to the City of Rome also took place over land.
The Roman obsession with imperial purple went beyond marbles. They were equally obsessed with purple textiles and, just like marble, these were expensive. Tyrian or imperial purple dye was made from the desiccated glands of the predatory sea snails found in the Eastern Mediterranean and off the coast of Morocco. The dark purple-red dye was used on ceremonial clothing for high-status individuals; it was particularly valued because it didn’t fade but it was expensive to manufacture.
The fact that they 'have' it is the problem with organized religion.
Hey, Elon.
So the next time the pope calls for help with things like housing refugees my answer will be- sell some of this! Practice what you preach!!
not even elonmusk would buy that.