About the book: 1988 / The book talks about the role of natural stone in the history of the culture of peoples from ancient times to the present day. Interesting information is provided about historical and modern artistic and architectural monuments and ensembles of Moscow, Leningrad and other cities. The properties of jade, lapis lazuli, charoite, amber and other semi-precious stones, the conditions for their formation are described, and the main deposits are named. The riches of the subsoil, wonderful monuments of stone architecture and art of the past and present constitute the pride of our Motherland. You cannot truly fully, deeply love your land, remaining indifferent to its spiritual and material values, including colored stone, multifaceted and mysterious. For everyone who is interested in the history of material culture.