Any mixture of cement or plaster prepared to imitate the appearance of natural stone. In early Egyptian tombs and Roman buildings, walls were coated with lime and gypsum plaster then painted to simulate the appearance of natural stone (Proudfoot 1996). By the 16th century, recipes for artificial stones included marble dust, lime and glue. Manufacturing centres were preparing cast stones based on terra cotta (Coade Stone) or cement (Pulham stone, Haddon stone) by the mid 19th century for use in buildings, statuary and decoration. Also in the 19th century, various mixtures of modified gypsum plasters, such as Keene’s cement, crushed stone and colouring materials were patented as artificial marbles, many of which were case into slabs for interior decoration. Cement, mixed with sand and crushed stone, and often referred to as cast, reconstituted or reconstructed stone, was widely used from the late 19th century in Europe and North America to produce balustrades, columns, architraves, arches and tracery windows. Various aggregates such as granite and other stone dusts, slag and crushed brick were used to produce a range of colours and textures; pigments could also be introduced. Artificial stone can often be distinguished from natural stone by its appearance and by the fact that the latter is colder to the touch. More precise identification of the simulant can involve microscopic examination and chemical analysis of its components. Synonyms: cast stone; reconstructed stone; reconstituted stone; oxychloride cement; renders; Victoria stone; Protean stone; Frear stone; Siliceous Concrete Stone; Coade's stone; Ranger’s artificial stone; Permastone; Pulham stone; Haddon stone; Bradstone; Empire Stone; Pulhamite Stone; Guattaris marble; artificial marble; scagliola; marezzo; stucco lustro. Trench (2000); Proudfoot (1996); Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (2000); English Heritage (2000). [J. Cassar, R. de Angelis]