"When O. W. "Bud" Hampton made his first visit to the peoples in remote parts of the highlands of Irian Jaya in 1982 and 1983, he found that their ancient stone-based technologies and culture remained virtually intact. During repeated and extended visits over twelve years, Hampton had unparalleled and irreproducible opportunity to observe the development, use, and cultural meaning of stone tool assemblages.".

"In this extensively illustrated, unique study, Hampton describes the complete cultural inventory and traditional uses of both secular and sacred stones, ranging from utilitarian stone tools and profane symbolic stones through ancestor spirit stones, power stones with multiple functions, and medicinal power stone tools. Hampton portrays the complete cycle of quarrying, manufacture, trade, and uses of the stones.".

"Archaeologists, anthropologists, and other scholars, as well as inquisitive general readers, will find Culture of Stone a valuable contribution not only to the ethnography of the New Guinea highlands but to archaeology and anthropology in general."--BOOK JACKET.