Stone-Carvers Celebrate their Inofficial Holiday

Today is a Stone-Carver's Day, but this date is not officially marked in the calendars. It is an informal holiday which was suggested by a group of Tuvan masters on the Saryg-Khaaia mountain (Bai-Taiga district) almost ten years ago. Every September stone-carvers go to Saryg-Khaaia agalmatolite site, the only place where chonar-dash (soft stone) is purchased. The gathered stone lasts them a year till the next trip in Autumn. Selecting proper raw material is an art itself. Stone-carvers say that they see a future subject of their work at the first glance at a fancy form stone. The day on Saryg-Khaaia is full of the shuttle walks from the camp-site to the stone-deposit on the narrow mountain path. Seated by the fire at night they remember the date and congratulate each other.