White marbles from five historically important quarrying areas were selected to study their cathodoluminescent characteristics. The observed differences in the color of the cathodoluminescence, its intensity, and distribution pattern, together with conventional petrographic determination of crystal size and morphology, allow the distinguishing of seven types of white marble in function of their well-defined geographical origin. The Greek islands Thassos and Paros are both characterized by two marble types, whereas the localities of Pentelikon, Carrara, and Usak-Kavacik each display one main type of white marble. The cathodoluminescent method has significant potential both for tracing archaeologically important quarry areas and for unravelling tectonostratigraphic relations between localities.