I wrote this glossary for the stone sculptor, to explain terms used for minerals, rocks, and stones. At the risk of ignoring geologic subtleties I have tried to provide explanations more useful to the sculptor than to the geologist. Architects, carvers, curators, geologists, lapidarists, sculptors, stone masons, and writers on those fields all use similar if not identical names but not always for the same stone.
 
The glossary explains names, terminology, and working characteristics of commonly encountered sculptural stone. It can provide a better understanding of the materials sculptors use, and can explain, though not eliminate, some of the confusion that may arise when buying, working, or identifying stone.
 
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