Lori Weston, age 12, of New Bedford, Mass., for her question:

HOW LONG HAVE WE HAD LAPIDARY WORK?

Lapidary is the cutting and polishing of gems. The word lapidary also refers to a craftsman who does this work. Professional lapidaries practiced their art in Assyria, Babylonia and Egypt more than 6,000 years ago.

Professional lapidaries have traditionally kept their methodssecret. During the 1920's in the United States, several men who collectedgems as a hobby decided to learn how to cut and polish their own stones.They built equipment and developed techniques by trial and error. They made their secrets available and lapidary soon became a popular hobby.

Today there are many amateur lapidary clubs,some of which have groups for teen agers. Gemsare cut in several ways. Different machines and techniques are used, depending on the type of stone being cut. Lapidaries cut some stones in a style called cabochon, for example, with a rounded top and a flat bottom.

Many stones, such as diamonds, are cut so they have numerous flat, polished surfaces which are called facets. Lapidary also includes the carving and engraving of gems.