Stone

Shaped stone
MFA# 1993.619

Description

1) Natural Rock that has been cut for use in construction or carving. See also Mineral.

2) A British weight unit equivalent to 6.35 kg. Stones were widely used as a measuring tool in Europe and Britain throughout the Middle Ages. However, the weight of a stone was not standardized, but dependent on each local trading center. Due to expanded trade practices, England passed a law in 1389 standardizing the weight of a stone as 14 pounds.

Nubian scarab
MFA# 21.302

Synonyms and Related Terms

piedra (Esp;); pierre (Fr.); pedra (Port.); Stein (Deut.); steen (Ned.)

Additional Images

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  Stone tessera

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  Stone tessera samples

Resources and Citations

• R. J. Gettens, G.L. Stout, Painting Materials, A Short Encyclopaedia, Dover Publications, New York, 1966

• Ralph Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)

• Susan E. Schur, Conservation Terminology: A review of Past & Current Nomenclature of Materials, Technology and Conservation, Spring (p.34-39); Summer (p.35-38); Fall (p.25-36), 1985

• Dictionary of Building Preservation, Ward Bucher, ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York City, 1996

• Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com Comment: "stone" [Accessed November 7, 2001].