Rocks

Serpentinite is a greenish, ultramafic rock found on Kythera, particularly in the north. 6 cm. Photo...

Volcanic rock is not formed on Kythera, but is so light that it floats on water, and therefore can w...

Most of the rock on Kythera is Tripoli limestone, which is probably the most important natural build...

Tripoli limestone is hard and gray, darkened by organic matter in the shallow water where it was for...

A chunk of Tripoli limestone with a vein of calcite. When rounded and polished by the sea, these roc...

Margiakos limestone contains clay minerals and organic material, making it lightweight but hard. Kn...

Almond stone is a hard, compact limestone that is formed in deep water and therefore contains little...

A bit of almond stone with a vein filled by calcite. 5 cm. Photograph by Peter B Tzannes, 2004

Almond stone is a frequent host for calcite crystals, as in this specimen, 10 cm long. Photograph by...

The fissures in this piece of limestone have been filled with iron oxide, making strange and beautif...

Limestone with a pock-marked surface that has been eaten away by lithophagous sea creatures. 6 cm lo...

Sandstone is commonly found in the seaside cliffs of eastern Kythera, and forms many of the island's...

Sandstone core from Kapsali drilling hole, 6 cm long. Gift of Markos Megaloikonomos. Photograph by P...

Pelites is a fine-grained sedimentary rock formed from hardened clay. This triangular piece, 5 cm lo...

A broken cube of pelites with a core of red flint, 3.5 cm long. Photograph by Peter B Tzannes, 2004

A small chunk of red pelites with a band of red flint, 4 cm long. Photograph by Peter B Tzannes, 200...

This charming piece of pelites has a funny face drawn with green aluminum oxide. 3.5 cm long. Photog...

Red pelites with veins and patches of black manganese. Photograph by Peter B Tzannes, 2004

Close-up of a piece of red pelites showing dendrites formed by black manganese. Photograph by Peter...

This rock is found in deep sea deposits, and commonly appears in schists. Pictured is a piece 8 cm l...