(Italian: “antique yellow”). A type of marble used first in pre-Roman North Africa and later by the Romans, who called it marmor numidicum (“Numidian marble”). Giallo antico was extracted starting in the second c. BCE from a quarry near the ancient city of Simitthus (modern Chemtou, Tunisia). It was prized by the Romans because of its gorgeous butterscotch color.

The yellow stone in this opus sectile panel is giallo antico. Chemtou Archaeological Museum, Tunisia. Photo: Panrgyrics of Granovetter.