Stories Behind the Stones

The Stones That Were Left Behind

In early 1988, Amy Brier, recently arrived to the Cathedral as a stone carver, set about creating a figure for one of the many carved finial stones for the south tower. Starting with a pencil sketch, then a clay model, the figure of an Old Testament rabbi started to emerge from the limestone block on Amy’s banker. This is the first of the stories behind the stones.

Thirty-five years later, the completed stone, a gablet apex finial, does not look down from a lofty niche above Amsterdam Avenue. Instead, it sits in a heap among numerous stones that never made it to their intended spots on the south tower when the uncompleted project ended in the early 1990s, hence these stories.

The stones are stored primarily in two areas on the south side of the Cathedral. The majority of the stones are tucked alongside a brick wall and a buttress pier near the tranquil Biblical Garden.  Another area is fenced off, sharing space with some discarded, unused or unwanted objects. Some of the stones are chipped from being carelessly moved or not properly stacked while others are developing a greenish patina on the edges from moisture.  The images below were taken on April 2, 2023 by Robert F. Rodriguez.

Amy’s Stone in 2023

This is where Amy’s stone rests, among a pile of blocks and debris. Her carving of the rabbi includes details of a kippah or yarmulke for the head covering, tallit for the prayer shawl, and tefillin, the two leather boxes holding passages from the Torah and worn on the bicep and forehead. She recalls that her family did not like her interpretation of the rabbi’s face. They claim the rabbi has a large nose and felt it stereotyped Jews. (Amy is Jewish.)

Amy, now 63, teaches stone carving and sculpting among other disciplines as Chair of the Fine Arts department at Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington, Indiana. 

Why wasn’t this stone up on the South Tower?

Stephen Boyle speculates the reason for Amy’s stone not being set on the tower. He said that the carving was probably destined for the South or West elevations atop a gablet apex stone. Some of these stones were not carved in time and therefore not set in place. Amy’s finial carving (topmost stone) did not have the base on which it would rest.

When asked her feelings about her rabbi carving not being set on the tower, Amy reflected on her six years at the Cathedral. She credits the Stoneyard program with guiding her career path in stone work and teaching. “I never would have had that without the Cathedral,” she said.

Amy added, “Part of what I learned there was none of these (the stones) were mine. You finished it and it was done. The work was for a greater cause.”

She feels sad for all the stones on the ground and all the work that went into them. “I can’t cry over one piece,” she said, “if it’s down on the ground, maybe it’s better.”

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• Our thanks to Photo Journalist Robert F. Rodriguez for this series of stories about the origin of the stones in the cutting and carving operations, who worked on the stone and where some of them have been waiting.