Cyril Timko, age 10, of Hellertown, Pa., for his question:

HOW WAS THE WORD LAPIDARY SELECTED?

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

Our word comes from the Latin lapidarium, which means working with stone.

Professional lapidaries have always kept their methods secret. It was for this reason that in the 1920s a number of men in the United States who collected gems as a hobby decided to learn how to cut and polish their own stones. They built equipment and established techniques by trial and error. Amateur lapidary soon became a favorite hobby with many.

Lapidary clubs, with many established for teen agers, are extremely popular across the country today.