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Stone: Ancient Craft to Modern Mastery
In this perceptive and illustrative look at the expressive and practical use of stone throughout history, Richard Rhodes unlocks the underlying principles of this ancient material—and explains the closely guarded “Sacred Rules” of the Freemasons guild for the first time ever.
The relationship between mankind and stone is elemental and deeply ingrained in us all. Stone, after all, has been the primary building material for more than five thousand years of human history, and it continues to record our triumphs and failures. In this searching history, Rhodes—a sculptor, stonemason, and scholar of stonework—explores how stone is best used today and throughout history.
Stone presents the closely kept “Sacred Rules” developed over centuries by the medieval Freemason guild, previously available only to the initiated. Here, the rules are explained through historical examples and photographs. In these times of rapid development and expansive urbanization, Rhodes implores us to explore the essential qualities of stone that emerge from the Sacred Rules, not only to rediscover the ancient and traditional knowledge that governed its use for so long but also to find a roadmap for how future generations might thoughtfully recapture the power this material offers.
MOST RENOWNED STONEMASON IN THE Richard Rhodes apprenticed as a stonemason in Siena, Italy, after graduate studies at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. As the first non-Italian admitted into Siena’s ancient masonic guild in 726 years, he is known throughout the sculpture and stone community as the “last apprentice.”
HISTORICAL A nationally acclaimed lecturer and educator, Rhodes has shared his deep knowledge of the history of stone and stonemasonry through convention addresses to the American Institute of Architects and the Association of Professional Landscape Designers, a five-lecture educational series to the Institute of Classical Architecture in both New York and San Francisco, and lectures to the Building Stone Institute and many public and private universities. His writing has been featured in Architectural Digest, New York Times, Architectural Record, MSNBC, The Globe and Mail, Greenwich Post, Seattle Times, and The Globe and Mail, among many others.
EXPERT The book includes a foreword by Paul Goldberger, a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and previous architecture critic for both the New Yorker and the New York Times, where he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. He is the author of many books, including Why Architecture Matters.
The relationship between mankind and stone is elemental and deeply ingrained in us all. Stone, after all, has been the primary building material for more than five thousand years of human history, and it continues to record our triumphs and failures. In this searching history, Rhodes—a sculptor, stonemason, and scholar of stonework—explores how stone is best used today and throughout history.
Stone presents the closely kept “Sacred Rules” developed over centuries by the medieval Freemason guild, previously available only to the initiated. Here, the rules are explained through historical examples and photographs. In these times of rapid development and expansive urbanization, Rhodes implores us to explore the essential qualities of stone that emerge from the Sacred Rules, not only to rediscover the ancient and traditional knowledge that governed its use for so long but also to find a roadmap for how future generations might thoughtfully recapture the power this material offers.
MOST RENOWNED STONEMASON IN THE Richard Rhodes apprenticed as a stonemason in Siena, Italy, after graduate studies at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. As the first non-Italian admitted into Siena’s ancient masonic guild in 726 years, he is known throughout the sculpture and stone community as the “last apprentice.”
HISTORICAL A nationally acclaimed lecturer and educator, Rhodes has shared his deep knowledge of the history of stone and stonemasonry through convention addresses to the American Institute of Architects and the Association of Professional Landscape Designers, a five-lecture educational series to the Institute of Classical Architecture in both New York and San Francisco, and lectures to the Building Stone Institute and many public and private universities. His writing has been featured in Architectural Digest, New York Times, Architectural Record, MSNBC, The Globe and Mail, Greenwich Post, Seattle Times, and The Globe and Mail, among many others.
EXPERT The book includes a foreword by Paul Goldberger, a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and previous architecture critic for both the New Yorker and the New York Times, where he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. He is the author of many books, including Why Architecture Matters.
272 pages, Hardcover
Published June 10, 2025
2 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Richard Rhodes
115 books621 followersRichard Lee Rhodes is an American journalist, historian, and author of both fiction and non-fiction (which he prefers to call "verity"), including the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Making of the Atomic Bomb (1986), and most recently, Arsenals of Folly: The Making of the Nuclear Arms Race (2007). He has been awarded grants from the Ford Foundation, the Guggenheim Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation among others.
He is an affiliate of the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University. He also frequently gives lectures and talks on a broad range of subjects to various audiences, including testifying before the U.S. Senate on nuclear energy.
He is an affiliate of the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University. He also frequently gives lectures and talks on a broad range of subjects to various audiences, including testifying before the U.S. Senate on nuclear energy.
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May 28, 2025
Book Review: Stone: Ancient Craft to Modern Mastery by Richard Rhodes (Foreword by Paul Goldberger)
A Monumental Exploration of Stone’s Legacy and Future
Richard Rhodes’ Stone: Ancient Craft to Modern Mastery is a scholarly yet accessible odyssey through humanity’s enduring relationship with stone—a material that has shaped civilizations, sacred spaces, and societal memory for millennia. Blending historical analysis, technical expertise, and cultural commentary, Rhodes, a sculptor and the first non-Italian initiate into Siena’s ancient masonic guild in 726 years, unveils the “Sacred Rules” of Freemasonry, offering unprecedented insight into the guild’s guarded traditions. This work is not merely a technical manual but a manifesto for reconnecting with stone’s intrinsic power in an age of disposable construction.
The Sacred Rules: Decoding Masonic Wisdom
A cornerstone of the book is its revelation of the Freemasons’ “Sacred Rules,” a set of principles governing stone’s ethical and aesthetic use, previously reserved for initiates. Rhodes contextualizes these rules through vivid historical examples—from the Parthenon’s precision to Gothic cathedrals’ soaring arches—arguing that their revival could counter modern architecture’s often soulless pragmatism. His analysis bridges ancient guild knowledge and contemporary practice, urging architects and builders to prioritize material integrity over expediency.
Interdisciplinary Rigor and Narrative Depth
Rhodes’ dual identity as artisan and scholar enriches the text. He dissects stone’s geological properties, symbolic resonance, and tactile poetry with equal authority, supported by archival photographs and case studies. The foreword by Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Paul Goldberger (Why Architecture Matters) elevates the discourse, framing Rhodes’ mission within broader debates about architectural authenticity and sustainability. Goldberger’s contribution underscores the book’s relevance to design theory, while Rhodes’ lectures (delivered at institutions like the American Institute of Architects) lend pedagogical weight.
Critique of Modernity and a Call to Action
The book’s most provocative thread is its critique of modernity’s alienation from materiality. Rhodes laments how industrialization marginalized stonecraft, yet he avoids nostalgia. Instead, he proposes a synthesis: leveraging technology (e.g., CNC carving) while honoring the “Sacred Rules” to create enduring, meaningful structures. This balance, he contends, could redefine urban landscapes and ecological stewardship.
Limitations and Academic Value
Some readers may desire deeper engagement with non-Western traditions (e.g., Egyptian or Indian stonework), though Rhodes’ focus on European guilds is justified by his expertise. The dense technical passages demand slow reading but reward with profound insights.
Final Assessment
Stone: Ancient Craft to Modern Mastery is indispensable for architects, historians, and material culture scholars. Its fusion of esoteric knowledge, practical guidance, and philosophical urgency makes it a milestone in architectural literature—a testament to stone’s past and a blueprint for its future.
Suggested Pairings:
Why Architecture Matters (Paul Goldberger) for complementary critiques of modernity.
The Stones of Venice (John Ruskin) for a 19th-century parallel on craft and morality.
Building Stone Institute publications for technical applications.
Thank you to the publisher for a review copy of this book!
A Monumental Exploration of Stone’s Legacy and Future
Richard Rhodes’ Stone: Ancient Craft to Modern Mastery is a scholarly yet accessible odyssey through humanity’s enduring relationship with stone—a material that has shaped civilizations, sacred spaces, and societal memory for millennia. Blending historical analysis, technical expertise, and cultural commentary, Rhodes, a sculptor and the first non-Italian initiate into Siena’s ancient masonic guild in 726 years, unveils the “Sacred Rules” of Freemasonry, offering unprecedented insight into the guild’s guarded traditions. This work is not merely a technical manual but a manifesto for reconnecting with stone’s intrinsic power in an age of disposable construction.
The Sacred Rules: Decoding Masonic Wisdom
A cornerstone of the book is its revelation of the Freemasons’ “Sacred Rules,” a set of principles governing stone’s ethical and aesthetic use, previously reserved for initiates. Rhodes contextualizes these rules through vivid historical examples—from the Parthenon’s precision to Gothic cathedrals’ soaring arches—arguing that their revival could counter modern architecture’s often soulless pragmatism. His analysis bridges ancient guild knowledge and contemporary practice, urging architects and builders to prioritize material integrity over expediency.
Interdisciplinary Rigor and Narrative Depth
Rhodes’ dual identity as artisan and scholar enriches the text. He dissects stone’s geological properties, symbolic resonance, and tactile poetry with equal authority, supported by archival photographs and case studies. The foreword by Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Paul Goldberger (Why Architecture Matters) elevates the discourse, framing Rhodes’ mission within broader debates about architectural authenticity and sustainability. Goldberger’s contribution underscores the book’s relevance to design theory, while Rhodes’ lectures (delivered at institutions like the American Institute of Architects) lend pedagogical weight.
Critique of Modernity and a Call to Action
The book’s most provocative thread is its critique of modernity’s alienation from materiality. Rhodes laments how industrialization marginalized stonecraft, yet he avoids nostalgia. Instead, he proposes a synthesis: leveraging technology (e.g., CNC carving) while honoring the “Sacred Rules” to create enduring, meaningful structures. This balance, he contends, could redefine urban landscapes and ecological stewardship.
Limitations and Academic Value
Some readers may desire deeper engagement with non-Western traditions (e.g., Egyptian or Indian stonework), though Rhodes’ focus on European guilds is justified by his expertise. The dense technical passages demand slow reading but reward with profound insights.
Final Assessment
Stone: Ancient Craft to Modern Mastery is indispensable for architects, historians, and material culture scholars. Its fusion of esoteric knowledge, practical guidance, and philosophical urgency makes it a milestone in architectural literature—a testament to stone’s past and a blueprint for its future.
Suggested Pairings:
Why Architecture Matters (Paul Goldberger) for complementary critiques of modernity.
The Stones of Venice (John Ruskin) for a 19th-century parallel on craft and morality.
Building Stone Institute publications for technical applications.
Thank you to the publisher for a review copy of this book!
Displaying 1 of 1 review