Decorative bookends are a great way to add a touch of style to your living space. In spite of predictions that books will fall victim to the digital age, many people place a special value on their personal book collections. There are classical styles of bookends, which can not only define the look of the room, but also reflect important aspects of human history.

A particularly popular style of bookend reflects the architectural styles of antiquity. Replicas of structures such as the Coliseum in Rome pay tribute to some of the most recognizable structures in the world. The Greeks are credited with developing unique styles of building columns that were copied by the Romans. Various column orders from the Doric and Tuscan to Ionic have inspired various bookend styles.

The Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt were built as tombs and repositories. Detailed replicas of these great structures can be found in bookend form and feature a great deal of surface relief. The pyramid shape carries tremendous significance and is popular form seen in modern and antique bookends. Pyramids were also an important architectural feature of western cultures such as the Mayans. The classic and unique shape of the Mayan pyramid, have inspired many different styles of bookends.

A feature of churches, cathedrals and other religious structures, gargoyles are often menacing in appearance and were once thought to frighten off evil spirits. Gargoyles have also appeared on the facades of other structures, from the Gothic to Art Deco. Happy faced gargoyles once graced the ancient baths of the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians. Like the belief in the ethereal power of the pyramids, the fierce look of the gargoyles can grace any bookshelf, scare away the demons and keep your books in order.

Many ancient structures were built from stone types like marble and granite. Symbols of strength and durability, marble, granite and similar materials are often carved into beautiful and functional bookends. These stone types are also a popular media for sculpting, and can be seen in some of worlds most inspired works of art. From The Thinker by Auguste Rodin, to the great classical sculptures of Michelangelo, some of the worlds great sculptures have been made into replica bookends.

Modern day structures are often the subject of bookends. Bookend replicas of such iconic structures as the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, are very popular. Famous bridges, essentially cut in half, not only hold your book collection securely in place, but also can be reminiscent of that trip to San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge. Anyone who has been to the New York City Public Library remembers the twin lions guarding the front of the building. Strong and silent, these kings of the literary jungle are one most popular subjects for landmark bookends.

The famous Tower Bridge in London spans the Thames River. Beautiful replicas of this historic structure can add a touch of English history to your bookshelf or fireplace mantel. The Tower of Big Ben and the Parliament Building will keep your literary collection standing straight but can add to the conversation at your next social gathering.

Various materials are used to replicate history in the form of a bookend. While granite and marble bookends can be somewhat pricey, other materials have been used to reproduce the smooth feel of marble or the heft and grain of granite. Alabaster and alabastrite have been used for many years as a media for sculpting. Smooth and more easily worked, alabaster is most often seen as pure white. Marble dust is combined with various resins giving the look of marble without the price.