What properties of marble make it useful for carving and sculpture?

Marble is relatively soft (calcite, the predominate mineral in marble is a 3 on the Mohs hardness scale) making it easy to work with, and the intertwined mineral crystalline structure from its recrystallization from limestone or dolomite also makes it less likely to fracture when struck with a tool. Marble will also take a polish, and has a translucency that gives it a pleasing appearance.