A soft, porous rock formed from calcium carbonate-rich water deposits, similar to tufa but specifically with a calcareous composition.
From Old French 'tuf' or Italian 'tufo' + 'calc' (calcium). The word refers to the distinctive spongy texture of calcium-based tufa formations.
Calctuff is so light and porous that Roman engineers used it for buildings because it's easy to cut but strong enough to support weight—it's the sponge rock that built empires!
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