Katherine Sexton, Materials Science and Engineering, Renaissance
What struck me most about the physical scale of the site at Carrara was how high it was in the mountains. Winding up the roads to get there on the bus was both fascinating as well as terrifying. I also really enjoyed taking the jeeps up to the top of the mountain to see the quarry. One thing I heard during the tour that I did not expect was how dangerous working in the mines was and still is to this day. Seeing the figure holding the long horn was so interesting, as this was blown everyday when someone was injured. Experiencing the quarry in person reinforced how much effort went into making the buildings and sculptures during the Renaissance. Although we often think about the work done by Michaelangelo and the other sculptors, we fail to recognize how much work was done even before the sculpting began. I am now able to appreciate the effort that was put into extracting the marble for these beautiful creations.
Swanson School of Engineering 