Learn more about Dalarna’s diamond – Älvdalen porphyry! Porphyry has been used for both decorative and functional objects for 3,000 years. In Sweden, porphyry was known at the end of the 17th century. During the first half of the 18th century, Älvdalen porphyry was discovered. In 1788, Älvdalen’s Porphyry Works started and a fantastic unique art industry took shape. Today, we preserve the memory by telling the story of porphyry, Dalarna’s diamond, and the history of porphyry in Älvdalen.
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Älvdalen Porphyry
About 1.7 billion years ago, Älvdalen porphyry was formed during massive volcanic eruptions. Ash with temperatures up to 900°C was hurled up from the earth’s interior. The ash was compacted and formed high mountain ranges. Sun, wind, water, and ice ages have worn down the mountains and spread out the porphyry. Today, the highest porphyry mountains are barely 600 meters high.
Porphyry consists of quartz colored by various metals and minerals in shades between red and black. In the dense stone mass, there are grains of feldspar and quartz. Pumice stone and unmelted rock have been compressed together, forming flow structures. The colors, patterns, and hardness have made porphyry mythical from ancient cultures around the Mediterranean to our days.
