Porphyra

The Porphyra was a chamber of the Great Palace in Constantinople Opel in which traditionally the imperial children were born. Who was born here, could lay claim to the nickname Porphyrogenetos. According to Anna Comnena, the room was completely square, but had a pyramid-shaped ceiling. The windows afford a view of the harbor, " where the oxen and lions are made ​​of stone " ( Port of Bukoleon ) bot. The floor and the walls were covered with a special porphyry, had brought the former emperor of Rome. He was purple with small white spots and gave the area its name.

This stone originates from the famous imperial quarry of Mons Porphyrites, the only known occurrences of purple porphyry. It is located in the Eastern Desert of Egypt, between Qena on the Nile (north of Luxor ) and Abu Sha'ar near Hurghada on the Red Sea in a completely uninhabited area about 50 km from the quarry of Mons Claudianus.

Swell

• Anna Comnena: Alexia. Translator, inlaid. and by appointment vers. Diether Roderich Reinsch of. DuMont, Cologne 1996, ISBN 3-7701-3492-3