Lapidarium: The Secret Lives of Stones
Oct 2022 · Hachette UK
5.0star
1 reviewreport
Ebook
336
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About this ebook
'A delightful storybook . . . a portrait of our whole world created from the contents of the ground' Literary Review
'A real cabinet of curiosities' Sunday Times
From the hematite used in cave paintings to the moldavite that became a TikTok sensation; from the stolen sandstone of Scone to the unexpected acoustics of Stonehenge; from crystal balls to compasses, rocks and minerals have always been central to our story.
3,000 years ago Babylonians constructed lapidaries - books that tried to pin down the magical secrets of rocks. In The Secret Lives of Stones, renowned art critic Hettie Judah explores the unexpected stories behind sixty stones that have shaped and inspired human history, from Dorset fossil-hunters to Chinese philosophers, Catherine the Great to Michelangelo.
Discover why alchemists sought cinnabar and sulphur. Unearth the mystery of the tuff statues of Rapa Nui, the lost amber room of Frederick of Prussia and the scandal of Flint Jack. Find out how a Greek monster created coral, moon rock explains the history of Earth's only satellite and obsidian inspired the world's favourite computer game.
Stone by stone, story by fascinating story, The Secret Lives of Stones builds into a dazzling, epoch-spanning adventure through human culture, and beyond.
'A real cabinet of curiosities' Sunday Times
From the hematite used in cave paintings to the moldavite that became a TikTok sensation; from the stolen sandstone of Scone to the unexpected acoustics of Stonehenge; from crystal balls to compasses, rocks and minerals have always been central to our story.
3,000 years ago Babylonians constructed lapidaries - books that tried to pin down the magical secrets of rocks. In The Secret Lives of Stones, renowned art critic Hettie Judah explores the unexpected stories behind sixty stones that have shaped and inspired human history, from Dorset fossil-hunters to Chinese philosophers, Catherine the Great to Michelangelo.
Discover why alchemists sought cinnabar and sulphur. Unearth the mystery of the tuff statues of Rapa Nui, the lost amber room of Frederick of Prussia and the scandal of Flint Jack. Find out how a Greek monster created coral, moon rock explains the history of Earth's only satellite and obsidian inspired the world's favourite computer game.
Stone by stone, story by fascinating story, The Secret Lives of Stones builds into a dazzling, epoch-spanning adventure through human culture, and beyond.
Ratings and reviews
5.0
1 review
Rachel Raywood
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December 21, 2022
A beautifully produced book and a joy to read. I was fascinated reading the history of stones and their significance across so many spheres of life throughout the ages.
About the author
HETTIE JUDAH is a curator, broadcaster and one of Britain's leading writers on art. She has a monthly column for Apollo magazine and is a regular contributor to the Guardian, Frieze, Times Literary Supplement and BBC Radio 4's Front Row. Her recent books include Acts of Creation: On Art and Motherhood (Thames & Hudson, 2024). She lives in London.
www.hettiejudah.co.uk
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