''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 rocksIn Lapidarium, 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 sulphurUnearth 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, Lapidarium builds into a dazzling, epoch-spanning adventure through human culture, and beyond.

Format Inbunden Omfång 336 sidor Språk Engelska Förlag John Murray Press Utgivningsdatum 2022-10-27 ISBN 9781529394948