From quarry to code: provenance investigations of white marble inventory of the villa rustica near Chatalka, Bulgaria

• First comprehensive provenance study of white marble from inland Roman Thrace (Chatalka region). • Integrated multi-proxy analyses ensure robust and reliable marble provenancing. • Berkovitsa, Asenovgrad, Armira and Kamilski Dol identified as key regional marble sources. • Local Thracian marble dominated architectural, sculptural and votive production. • Selective use of imported Prokonnesian marble reflects elite and symbolic choices. This paper presents the first archaeometric study of the marble inventory from the Roman villa rustica near Chatalka (Stara Zagora region, Bulgaria), one of the most extensively excavated rural estates in Roman Thrace. Through a multi-proxy approach combining petrographic, isotopic (δ 18 O and δ 13 C), and trace element analysis (ICP-MS), we examine the provenance of eleven marble artefacts—including architectural elements, votive reliefs, and statuary—to assess material supply strategies and cultural expression in the context of Roman provincial elite life. Our results indicate the use of both regional and imported marble. One frieze-architrave, decorated with garlands and bull-heads, is identified as Prokonnesian marble and likely originated from Augusta Traiana. In contrast, the remaining marble artefacts—including six votive reliefs, a sculptural head, and a dedicatory inscription—are made of Asenovgrad marble, sourced from the northern slopes of the Rhodope Mountains. The combination of these materials reflects both pragmatic resource use and elite participation in broader cultural and economic networks. The discovery of a sculptural group in alabaster gypsum further underscores the material diversity employed at the site. Situated along the road connecting Augusta Traiana to Philippopolis and proximate to the Via Diagonalis, the villa was strategically embedded in trans-provincial transport routes. The findings contribute to current debates on the regional exploitation of white marble and provide new insights into workshop organisation, distribution systems, and elite representation in Roman Thrace. All analytical data have been integrated into the open-access oeai.METRIX platform to facilitate future comparative studies.