Inspired by the lapidaries of the ancient world, this book is a
beautifully designed collection of true stories about sixty different
stones that have influenced our shared history
The earliest scientists ground and processed minerals in a
centuries-long quest for a mythic stone that would prolong human life.
Michelangelo climbed mountains in Tuscany searching for the sugar-white
marble that would yield his sculptures. Catherine the Great wore the
wealth of Russia stitched in gemstones onto the front of her bodices.
Through the realms of art, myth, geology, philosophy and power, the
story of humanity can be told through the minerals and materials that
have allowed us to evolve and create. From the Taiwanese national
treasure known as the Meat-Shaped Stone to Malta's prehistoric "fat
lady" temples carved in globigerina limestone to the amethyst crystals
still believed to have healing powers, Lapidarium is a jewel box of
sixty far-flung stones and the stories that accompany them. Together,
they explore how human culture has formed stone, and the roles stone has
played in forming human culture.